


As Above, So Below

by HoorayImUseful



Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: Angels and Demons, F/F, I spent too much time looking at Wayne Barlow's artwork and now this, Pulse is l i t e r a l l y hell AU, au fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-01-31 02:28:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 83,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12666411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoorayImUseful/pseuds/HoorayImUseful
Summary: Lightning Farron never considered herself to be religious, or superstitious. She didn’t believe in heaven nor hell, angels nor demons. Or that a war had raged behind the veil for millennia unknown to humanity. When her heritage is discovered and her sister is caught in the crossfire, the Stoic pink-haired woman is unwittingly thrown into a firestorm of biblical proportions with a price that could be too high to pay.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ohhh what. Another one started?? Yeah I've probably lost my marbles at this point. My brain likes to make up AU's based on throwaway lines and then this kind of crap is created. This particular AU is in response to the gang talking about Pulse being hell. "Yeah, but what if it _was_?" Goes my brain, and then about 11k words later typed out on my damn phone. I'm posting this so it gives me a little more time to write the other stories I'm working on (AND SURPRISE NOT ALL OF THEM ARE FFXIII ANYMORE EITHER). Content warning (I guess) for somewhat "religious" overtones throughout this story. Using that lapsed Catholicism and bookshelf filled with odd books I've collected over the years for good!

It was the same dream as always. Every once and a while, the same twisted landscape would appear. The industrial complex in ruins, the world around her in ruins. People, tattered and gaunt would be scrambling through the rubble, trying to escape. The shadows moved, looming and stalking like a predator. And then it came.

The serpent with a thousand eyes, erupting from the ground with a terrible roar. Fire and sulphur trailed, and the overwhelming sound of screaming rose from the pit it spewed forth from. It would devour the other people around her, as they trembled or ran. It wouldn't matter. What they did, it was futile. They all were taken in the end. And then, it would turn its many eyes on her and-

-BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP-

A cerulean eye appeared from beneath one lid cracking open, bloodshot and weary. Glaring at the offending yet sanity-saving device, Lightning smashed the snooze button with her hand and rolled over with a groan. She was so tired of those recurring dreams, she had had it for years since her parents had passed. They always left her waking in a cold sweat, gasping for breath and clawing at the air. She both hated and loved her alarm clock for waking her, she always seemed to wake at the precise moment that the viper saw her. She prayed she would never stay asleep long enough to ever find out what happens next.

Time enough to dwell on the deeper existential meaning later, for now, she had to get ready for work. After a quick run through of her morning routine, Lightning hurried downstairs to find her sister making breakfast for her as usual.

"Morning Claire," Serah chirped, plating a poached egg on toast and sliding over a coffee. "I know I know, you're a barista and you can make your own coffees, I hear it every day and it doesn't the fact that I'm still going to make one for you."

The elder Farron simply smiled and hugged her sister around the side. "Thanks, Serah."

She ate breakfast quickly and headed out the door with a wave, jumping on her motorcycle and speeding off downtown. Lightning set up her day at the café, sticking her notes on the top of the machine so she could study while she worked the orders through.

"So why  _do_  they call you Lightning?" One of the regulars asked while being handed a coffee. The rough accent always drew the pinkette's attention and she rolled her eyes.

"Because I'm fast with the orders. You know, like lightning."

"Well," the dark-haired stranger breathed with a wink, "hope you slow down and take your time when it comes to other... Tasks at hand..." she finished with a raking appraisal of the barista's form and a not-so-subtle bite of her lip. "Ciao, darling."

Lightning watched her leave, a scowl plastered on her face as she went back to making orders. Same old routine, same old day. The woman with the foreign accent would come in every once and a while, order, flirt, then leave. There was always a pattern, even when she could sometimes go months without seeing her. Still, Lightning preferred it when things were simple. Predictable. At least she could predict the foreigner would be a pain in her ass whenever she showed up.

There would be the police officer from the local precinct, he was as regular as the sun rising. Coffee with cream and two sugars, already made for him as he came in at the same time every day. Simple. Predictable. The overworked business man, black coffee, to go. Simple. Predictable. The study group from her class, who would come in and sit near the counter so she could still work while comparing notes during the quiet times of the day.

She would leave her shift afterwards, and head home to shower and scrub the smell of coffee from her skin, and then head straight back out to class. Her classes were predictable when she had arrived prepared with her readings done. She fiddled with the small silver ring on her finger as she listened, a force of habit whenever she needed to do something with her hands to help her focus. Keeping with routine meant life was simple and predictable.

This particular evening though her thoughts kept drifting back to the dream that was occurring more and more lately it would appear. Lightning didn't know what to make of them, though she was sure her mother would have made a comment or several about the veil, and that the spirits were trying to send a message. She huffed and rest her head on her hand while she took notes. It'd be nice if their messages could be delivered with a little bit less terror. Not that she believed in any of that anyway.

Her apartment that she shared with Serah would suggest the contrary, her bookshelves stacked to breaking point filled with hundreds of texts and grimoires. An  _endless academic fascination_ , she called it. It was her inheritance when her mother passed. As a teenager, she scoured every book after the funeral. Studying every word looking for some kind of hidden meaning or message from her mother.

Trying to figure out why of all things she'd be left with all these dusty tomes, with barely audible parting words from her mother that she would need them one day. In light of the recurring nightmares, she found herself lazily flipping through them again, looking through old demon texts to see if anything resembled it. She refused to be called superstitious. It was just… an academic interest to see if anything married up. That's all.

Class finished with little fanfare, and she headed home. Lightning found she was reluctant to head into her apartment she shared with Serah, knowing that it would commence her nightly routines before bed. Being in bed meant sleep, and sleep meant the potential for that horrible nightmare to once again play through her unconscious mind.

The weeks passed in their boring, predictable routines. Lightning preferred it that way. Simple. Predictable. The only problem was, the nightmare that was occurring with increasing frequency. Every night the same thing now, leaving her beyond exhausted by the time her alarm rescued her. She had even started setting numerous ones during the night, to try to wake up from it sooner. In an attempt to avoid it she was taking longer shifts at the café, pushing her classes back and fighting against sleep until exhaustion took hold. Still, the giant serpent met her in her dreams, almost taunting in its appearance.

The relationship with her sister began to strain, with the time away from home and her increasing levels of exhaustion meant breakfast was being skipped, her time with Serah diminishing to fleeting waves in the hallway as she trudged to bed. If she had have taken a few extra seconds in the morning to check in with Serah, she would have noticed the similar levels of exhaustion on the younger Farron's face, the same haunted expression from her own struggles with sleep.

Lightning felt guilty for not being around as much, but she didn't want her sister to worry about her, or think she was going mad from the nightmares. Instead, Serah was retreating herself, running off to the frustrating oaf she'd been seeing and spending more time with him. She'd been with him for about six months now, and the longer they were together the more annoyed Lightning got.

After yet another night of nightmares, she trudged into the shower and rest her head against the tiles while the water came down on her. It wasn't soothing this morning, the water feeling like tiny pinpricks against her skin. The towel felt like sandpaper. This morning wasn't going how she wanted at all. Her sister was fidgety this morning, like she wanted to tell her something. The coffee tasted like ash.

"Sis… Are… You ok?" Serah asked, hesitantly. Lightning grunted and rubbed her face with her hands.

"I'm… Sorry. Not been sleeping well lately." She grumbled, pushing the barely touched breakfast away.

"Claire there's… There's something I need to talk to you about."

Lightning groaned, not ready to hear whatever was about to come out of her sibling's mouth. She looked at Serah's demeanour, her eyes darting everywhere, lips pursed, hand continuously scratching at her upper arm, engagement ring glinting from the movements in the light.

_Wait. Engagement ring._

"You're  _engaged_?" Lightning asked, incredulous in her tone, "You haven't even being seeing that idiot for that long!"

"Six months Claire, I've been seeing him for six months. He proposed last night. I said yes."

"You've got to be kidding me. You're barely an adult." The elder Farron snorted, folding her arms and pushing back from the table. "Take that stupid thing off, and get ready for your classes. I've gotta go to my shift."

Serah grabbed her wrist as she walked past, and Lightning winced at the tears in her sister's eyes. She hated seeing her sibling cry, worse still when she was the cause. "You've barely been around for me to even talk to you about it, no wonder this is coming as a surprise. You won't even  _look_  at me when you're leaving for work. When was the last time we even sat down for a conversation?"

"For Etro's sake, Serah." Lightning groaned into her hands. "You're… You're too young for this. You don't know what you want. And to marry that idiot? He's only going to drag you down. For what? All those years I've been working to provide for this household so you could have a life, down the drain?"

"I never asked you to do that! All I wanted was for you to be my sister, not my warden! He loves me, Claire. I'm marrying him. If you can't accept that, don't expect to find me here when you come home." She stormed from the room after having the final word, leaving Lightning reaching after her. She sighed and stared at the closed door to her sister's room, before growling and stalking out of the apartment.

She met the fiancé in the stairwell, smashing into his shoulder as she passed him. "So, I take it your talk with your sister went well." Snow said, immediately regretting opening his mouth with the pinkette whirled on him.

"How  _dare_ you. How dare you presume to know what she wants, when I've been raising her since our parents died. You will take her from her dreams and ambitions. You will take her from me!" She shouted, getting in his space.

"She's making her own decisions Light!" Snow yelled back in her face, refusing to be intimidated. "You can't protect her forever. You need to let her go!"

"Go to hell. Both of you." Lightning snarled and left, taking the stairs two at a time to put as much distance between them before she hit him. Her head throbbed as she got on the motorcycle, and the world around her was far too bright and far too loud. She pushed her helmet angrily onto her head and roared off down the street.

* * *

 

By the time she'd parked at the café, she was physically and mentally exhausted. The glare she gave her regular flirtatious customer caused the brunette to snap her mouth shut before she'd even uttered a word. For once she took her coffee with an awkward nod and turned tail to retreat into a corner. It was during a quiet period, and she was alone in the café while her counterpart was on a lunch break. Lightning was struggling to keep her eyes open and felt like she was going to fall asleep if she blinked.

She closed her eyes and sighed, rolling her shoulders to try to let movement keep her awake. She opened her eyes to go back to her study notes and instead was staring at rubble on the ground. Lightning scrambled back, startled. She must have fallen asleep again. She'd never had the dream in the middle of the day though, which was concerning. Something felt different about it. It made the hairs on her arms raise, skin prickling.

"Wait. I can  _feel_ that." She whispered to herself, fear beginning to settle into her senses. She'd never felt anything in the dreams. While the imagery was always intense, the dream was never so vivid she felt it. Then it hit her. She was aware. She was having the dream and had awareness. No longer an unwilling passenger. "This is fine, this is all fine, Lightning. You're just having a mental breakdown, that's all. Just wake up, keep serving customers, then go home and sleep. Ok… Go."

She sighed, shifting her weight from foot to foot, looking around the decrepit place. Her attention was drawn to a pile of rocks that a man came skidding around the corner of, racing towards her. "What are you standing around for!" He shouted, terror evident in his voice, "it's coming! Run you fool!"

Lightning was knocked back by a huge explosion, as the serpent she'd seen so often in her nightmares burst forth from the ruins and swallowed the man whole. She hit the ground with a thud and she grunted from the pain.  _Wait… That hurt. That felt… Real…_ The serpent turned to her like it had in every dream. "Come on Farron… Time to wake up now…" She urged herself as she got to her feet. It opened its enormous jaws and hissed, the sound shrieking in her ears and rattling the stones at her feet.

She finally got feeling back on her feet and ran, sprinting through the ruined complex as the serpent chased her. This was what she feared, what lay beyond the moment where her alarm rescued her. Worse still, it felt like she was there, and it was no dream. She staggered and tripped over debris, trying to take in the surroundings as quickly as possible to discern an escape route. She slid under a twisted ashen tree and slammed through a boarded-up window, crying out as the wood splintered and cut at her skin. "Etro… This isn't happening…" She panted, trying to climb the broken stairs. She came to a door in the hallway she arrived at and shoulder charged it, smashing it from the hinges.

Lightning burst into the room to find a figure in a hooded robe standing there, not able to discern any features on her face. "Please… Help me…" She cried, voice strained from exertion. It turned from her and moved further into the room. When she tried to follow, the floor gave out underneath her. She fell through it into darkness. When she landed, it was on hard, black ice. She was impossibly cold, shivering about her as she slowly got up and staggered through the darkness.

That was when she saw the people frozen within the ice walls, barely illuminated by an unholy blue glow. She could see the eyes moving about and scrambled away from them in horror of what she was witnessing. Her back hit a block of ice, and she reluctantly turned to find a figure outstretched, encased within the frozen tomb. She noticed the ring on the pale finger first and the colour drained from her face. She dragged her gaze up to the victim's face, already knowing who she'd find.

"Serah!" She cried out, smashing at the ice with her hands until they bled. Somehow, she could see tears forming within the ice, trailing down her sister's face. The robed figure appeared again by her side, trailing a skeletal hand through the blood left on the ice.

"Fascinating." It rasped, and Lightning turned in anger.

"Let her go!" she roared, grabbing the robes and shaking the figure with her threats. The robes around the figure's head tilted, as if curious.

"I cannot. It was not I who entombed her. You can't be here. It is not your place."

The pinkette pushed the figure back and looked down at her bloodied hands. "Take me instead. I'll go in her place."

"It is  _not_  yours to  _take_. Still, fascinating that you are here. I wonder if you are the one to change it. You need to be prepared child. You need to awaken." It suddenly reached out and clasped the bone hands around her face, covering her vision. Her eyes began to burn and she screamed, reeling back and smashing into the counter behind her.

"Shit, Lightning are you ok?" Her colleague asked, holding her by the shoulders. The pinkette was panting, gasping for breath. Her head throbbed, her eyes burned in agony and she clutched at her face, crying out in pain. The other barista looked nervous, thinking she'd been burnt by steam and ran to get the medical kit out the back. Lightning looked up through tear filled eyes to see that frustrating foreign woman staring at her intensely, eyebrows raised.

_Serah!_

"I have to go!" Lightning yelled, racing from the café and speeding off on her motorcycle. She zipped in and out of traffic, through several red lights and busy intersections. She was praying to Etro the entire route home that it was just a stupid dream, caused from the fight with her sister, and that her eyes felt like they were on fire because she was working herself to the bone.

The smoke coming from her apartment building on approach did little to alleviate her attempts to convince herself that anything dire had happened. She leapt off her bike as it skidded to a halt, watching in disbelieving horror at the emergency services vehicles. Eyeing off the police officer that was a regular in the café, she raced over to him and clutched at his arm. "My sister… Is she ok?"

Sargent Amodar placed his enormous hands on her shoulders and steadied her. "Only the man was in the apartment at the time. There's no sign of your sister, Farron, so we can at least safely assume she wasn't home. Do you have somewhere to stay? Your apartment is a bit of a mess."

"Man? What man?" She urged, getting angrier and more worried by the second. The police officer pointed towards the ambulance, and Lightning ran over to find Snow laid out on the bed in the back. "Snow! What the hell happened?" She demanded, voice shaking. "Where's Serah?"

He looked at her, and she didn't miss the look of terror on his features. "I… I-I don't know. It was all… What was that thing… I… Serah…" He trailed off, whimpering as the paramedics came around to jump in the back.

"He's in shock ma'am, we need to take him to emergency for smoke inhalation." One of them said, and Lightning stepped back from the ambulance to allow them to take their leave. She turned and looked at the apartment, smell of sulphur on the air.

"Serah… Where are you…" She whispered to herself. The pinkette hugged herself, looking around at the crowd of people. Strange wisps appeared at the peripherals of her vision as the observed the gathering crowd, and she swore she could hear whispers just on the edges of her hearing. She spied a particular individual in a long grey coat who was staring up at the window with a furrowed brow and seemed to notice he was being watched. His eyes snapped down to her and their gaze met for a moment before he turned heel and quickly left the scene. Lightning chased after him, following him into an alley.

"Wait! Did you see anything? Please tell me if you saw my sister!"

The tall man stopped in his tracks and turned slowly, eyeing her with suspicion. His white hair framed his narrowed eyes and he looked her over. "You… shouldn't… How can you see me?" He asked incredulously. She slowed up and looked at him in confusion.

"The hell are you talking about? I can see you because you're standing right there. What do you know of my sister? Where is she?" Lightning demanded, fed up with the amount of crazy that had been occurring in her day. The tall man approached her and stared down at her. She refused to be intimidated.

"She was taken about an hour ago." He said, relenting to the small pinkette's demands with a slump of his shoulders. "A daemon from the lower reaches appeared to cross the threshold and abduct her. And you appear to have had the veil ripped from your eyes. A peculiar thing that is by no means a coincidence."

"Daemon… Thresholds… Veils… You know, I've had a really perplexing day and have reached my limit for insanity. Is this some weird euphemism for gang activity? What are you? Vice squad? Special detective?"

He looked at her and sighed, removing his coat. "I am Rosch, and I am Cherubim." Four wings unfurled from his back and filled the alleyway, flaming and flittering in the air. White fire shone from his eyes, and he held a flaming sword that had materialised from thin air. Lightning fell down and scrambled backwards, eyes wide with fear. The air was distorted around him, and if she blinked his appearance shifted, multiple heads appeared with birds and beasts around his shoulders.

"This is not happening. You aren't real. You can't be real. Angels aren't real."

"I can assure you, child, I am very real," Rosch responded with a sigh, his voice layered with a choir that assaulted her ears. He folded his wings back and they vanished as he replaced his coat back on his shoulders. With his human-esque apparition restored, Lightning found her heart rate start to slow and she could look at him without trembling. "Tell me what you saw that lead you here." He said, voice a little quieter as he held out a hand to help the pinkette up.

She relayed the strange dream she had been suffering from over the years, and then the black icy void she found Serah in. The angel's expression darkened. "It should be impossible for her to be taken to the Void. She shouldn't have been taken in the first place, her soul was clean."

"What are you talking about? Please... Where is my sister?"

He looked at the girl sadly and held her by the shoulder. "Your sister is imprisoned in the Void, the name for the lowest reaches of Hell, the kingdom of Pulse itself."

Lightning's vision receded and her eyes rolled back in her head as she collapsed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I moved in with the "in-laws" in about July in order for us to squirrel money away for a house deposit. We've achieved that goal in less than 6mths which is pretty rad, and my darling wife has decided to celebrate this success by fucking off for the weekend on a roadtrip with her mates, leaving me to deal with her friggin parents.... So basically that means expect a fair few updates over the course of the next weekend because if I don't distract myself from their incessant prattling I MAY JUST BURN THE HOUSE DOWN. Anyway here's a chapter. Content warning for adult themes. ie nsfw. What, you thought I was going to make you wait like 16 chapters again?

"Serah!" Lightning cried out and sat bolt upright in her bed. She looked around and found herself in her room. She cautiously got out of bed and checked her reflection in the mirror.  _Was it all a stupid, insane fucked up dream?_  She raced outside to check for Serah's room to find the tall man- no, angel- she had met earlier observing the scorch marks on the walls.

"It wasn't a dream, was it?" The pinkette said quietly, feeling incredibly lost. Rosch turned his head to regard the human with pity and shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, child. I will need to report this, these events are… Unsettling. I will do what I can to find your sister but you cannot interfere any further. Any more than my presence is already interfering with the Order."

"To hell with your order!" Lightning snapped, then stopped short as a blade appeared near her throat. He held it close and still, his expression blank.

"Do not blaspheme the sacred, human. I have not given up on your sister, but there are rules. Her being taken was a violation, but for us to just march into the gates of hell to retrieve her would be an act of war. I will not see all of reality unmake itself for the trade of one soul. Surely you can see that."

Lightning looked away with tears in her eyes and a set jaw. "What will you have me do then, Rosch? Sit here and read a book until you find answers and find a way to get to my sister?"

The angel smiled and placed a book in her hands. "Yes. I would have you read. Very specific books in your fascinating library."

He vanished in a flash of light, leaving the pinkette shielding her eyes from the flare. She looked down at the book in her hands, and read the title with a quiet huff. " _Daemonologie, In Forme of a Dialogue_. Right." Lightning fiddled with the ring on her finger, worrying her lip as she looked around the scorched apartment. How was she expected to just go to work, and resume her life when all this madness was brought into it? She set the book down on the table and grabbed her glasses to settle in for an evening of reading.

At some obscure hour of the night, as Lightning's head started to slide off her hand from sleep deprivation, a flash of light startled her and had her reeling back from her chair. She grabbed the baseball bat she had by her side and whirled around, ready to strike.

"Be at peace, child," Rosch called out, holding his hand up to the pinkette, "I merely bring my superior here to investigate." The other individual in question was a decidedly conceited looking woman, who wore a grim expression on her face at the surroundings she found herself in. Incredibly long, blonde hair cascaded down her back, and the elegantly embroidered jacket ostentatiously revealed her arrogance. Like it was beneath her stature and station to be in a place like this.

"Rosch, remind me again why I'm here?" The woman asked, sounding bored. He cast a warning look in Lightning's direction, as if pleading her not to react. It would go unheeded, the pinkette stepping forward with a furious glare. She opened her mouth to yell at the snobbish woman but it was shut by the angel using a baton to snap her jaw shut. "This insolent soul seeks to blaspheme my presence, and yours too it would seem."

"Where. Is. Serah." Lightning asked with a low voice, barely containing her anger at the insolence displayed. The woman smirked in response, prodding at the pinkette's ribs with her baton.

"Jihl, please. She's lost her sister. Have a little compassion." Rosch sighed, pulling her arm away from the human. The blonde sneered and shrugged with a hum, heels clicking away as she investigated the scorch marks on the walls.

"Such an angry little thing," Jihl cooed, ignoring the question and turning to her counterpart with a smirk on her face. "I don't know what the Maker sees in them."

Rosch pulled the blonde Seraphim back by the shoulder and glared. "Jihl I'm not going to ask again. You requested to be here to see where the human was taken, I won't allow you to further disrespect the human in her own home. She's been through enough."

Jihl clicked her tongue and paced over to one of the scorch marks, running her hands along it. Lightning saw the smallest of smiles appear on the blonde's face and narrowed her eyes.

"How do I get my sister back?"

Rosch turned to the human and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I told you, we're doing everything we can." He looked the small pink-haired woman over and sighed. He hated being bound by such infuriating rules. He longed to just kick down the gates of hell, sword in tow and hack at the black ice until the young girl was freed. But he was bound; ironically as bound as the Fallen that were cast out of the Sanctum.

"And I told you, I'm not willing to sit back and do nothing while you idly scratch at my walls in abject interest." Lightning growled, gesturing at Jihl with an aggressive flick of her wrist. The angelic woman straightened up and stormed over to the other two, sneering in arrogance.

"Watch your tone, human," Jihl warned, wings slowly unfolding from her back and taking up space in the apartment. If it was meant to be an intimidation tactic, Lightning was unperturbed. The pinkette huffed and gritted her teeth, looking back towards Rosch.

"You may not be willing to step outside your rules, but I will do whatever it takes to get my sister back. If you won't help me, I'll find someone that will. Get out of my house."

The two Seraphim looked at each other, Jihl fed up with proceedings. She vanished in a flurry of light, leaving Rosch alone with Lightning. She nodded towards the empty space. "So is she the exception, or are all angels like that and  _you're_  the odd one out?"

He laughed quietly and shook his head. "I apologise for her. She is seated with the highest choir, to the right of the leader Barthandelus. Maker knows she… Doesn't get out much. Claire, I know this is hard," Rosch said with caution in his voice, squeezing her shoulder, "But I need you to not do anything rash. Whoever took your sister, whoever ripped the veil from your eyes… Whether they are the same person or two separate incidences, it's all connected. But if you can see beyond the veil, what lays beyond can see you too. I'm worried that you're going to be targeted as well. I need you to just stay put for the time being, I don't want this getting any worse than it already is, or you involved any more than you already have been."

Lightning frowned, looking away with a hiss through her teeth in frustration. Rosch stepped back from her and adjusted his coat. "Please try to get some sleep. I will be in touch when I can."

He disappeared from the apartment, leaving the human alone again. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared hard at the scorch marks on the wall opposite her. "Stay put?" She asked aloud to no one, her voice echoing around the room. She stalked over to her bookshelf and started pulling more books off to read.

"Not a frigging chance."

* * *

She had a million missed calls from her boss by morning, and called to reassure him that she would be in for her shift. And no she wouldn't be filling out paperwork for her "steam burn". Having to play pretend with a life that was suddenly anything but normal made her sick to her stomach, but she was helpless. What else could she do? She made her way to work reluctantly, one of her mother's books in hand. Suddenly all those years memorising every detail from them made more sense, and wondered if it was coincidence or clairvoyance with her mother's warning before her passing.

Lightning hid the book inside the paper sleeve of one of her medical textbooks and propped it up against the corner of her workstation as she arrived. She went through the motions during her shift, not able to quite figure out how she was managing the autopilot but running with it regardless. She was bone weary and beyond exhausted, and no amount of coffees she was fixing for herself seemed to assist. Towards the end of the shift, she was continuously rubbing her eyes and feeling more than a little paranoid from the shadows that kept moving in her vision, or the faces of customers she served flickering or distorting. The whispers on the edges of her hearing were keeping her skittish, flinching every time they made themselves known.

She was too lost in thought to hear the bell of the front door. It wasn't until she heard a throat clearing behind her that startled her did she turn around. It was the foreign stranger that had been becoming a regular over the last while. This woman had been in and out of the shop on occasion for months and always flirted with her every time. Every time Lightning would scoff and roll her eyes, leaving the dark-haired woman wanting.

"I... Apologize. I didn't hear you come in. What can I get you? Usual?" The pinkette asked, receiving a nod in response. The woman investigated her manicure as Lightning worked. Lightning was trying to ignore the subtle scent of the stranger, feeling a little light headed. She simply chalked it up to the exhaustion and kept steaming the milk for the stranger's regular beverage.

"So Sunshine, you doing anything later? I was thinking I could take you out for a... Bite to eat." the familiar, husky voice summoned her interest against her will. Always with the flirting. And always Lightning rebuffed her. But tonight felt different. She found herself moving to the counter where her usual suitor stood lazily at the cash register. She felt a strange pull towards the woman, and a warmth pooled in her abdomen the closer she got to those piercing, jade eyes.

"That's my girl... Come and talk to your favourite customer." The woman purred, and it caused Lightning to shiver. She checked the clock and realised the time, looking quickly around the premises. It was empty save for the two of them.

"I-... I'm sorry but we're cl... Closing... I... I have to... Close up..." she said, wincing at the sound of her own voice. When had she become so timid? With her sister missing and all this strangeness happening, she shouldn't be surprised. Or engaging in any banter with this endlessly frustrating foreigner.

"Such a pity," the brunette cooed with a pout, "and I was  _so_  hoping to spend some more time in your  _delightful_ company." She dragged her nails down Lightning's forearm, and the barista whimpered. It felt like the woman had left a fire in her wake, burning hotter with every passing second. It made her dizzy. The room swayed, looking distorted on the edges of her vision.

"I... Uh... Now is... Not a good time..." Lightning stammered, trying to will her feet to move. She managed to turn away from the predatory gaze and gasped as she was met with the woman suddenly behind the counter, pressing her back against the bench. "H-how did you..."

"Ssshhh... The how is not important," the woman said, placing a finger against the pinkette's lips. A smile grew across her face at the soft moan that escaped the young woman's mouth. "What is important is what we're going to do now that I'm back here."

Lightning heard the doors lock and the shutters draw themselves behind her and felt her heart hammering in her chest. She could barely focus on what was happening, her skin becoming heated.

 _Who shut the door... If the only people in here are us? Gods above, why do I feel so hot..._ She thought while trying not to pant. The woman was attractive, sure. Of course, she'd looked. But fraternization with customers was not allowed, so she ignored any of the flirtations. Why then was she salivating at the sight of this stranger before her? Why then did she feel like she was going to turn to ashes from the fire consuming her if the woman didn't hurry up and touch her?

"Mmmmmmm... I can sense your need, pet. It thrills me to see you so wanting of my attentions. Let's see what I can do about that hunger, shall I?" the brunette leant forward and pushed Lightning hard against the counter. A groan tore from her throat when the shorter barista pulled her by her jacket. Their bodies crashed into each other, and the brunette kissed her with intensity. "Oh, yes. I think I like you." The woman growled, every consonant and vowel leaving her tongue worming its way into Lightning's mind. The pinkette needed more. She never thought she could crave someone like she craved this stranger. Despite everything that was going on, going wrong in her life, this right here was all that mattered in this moment.

She felt the dark-haired woman's hands roam under her shirt, her touch scorching her with desire. Lightning felt the stranger smile into the kiss every time the brunette successfully drew needy, breathless sounds from her. "That's it... When you give in you get to feel better and better. Just let yourself go. Will you do that for me, Lightning?" the woman whispered in her ear.

"Yes... Gods yes..."

The low chuckle from the stranger vibrated through her ear and throbbed between her legs. "No gods here, pet. They wouldn't dare to look. Not when you're so hot, so wet, so desperately needing me to claim you and make you mine. Do you want me to take you? Here against the counter?"

"Please..." Lightning begged, too far gone to care. She felt like she was hovering on the edge from the moment the woman touched her, and would do just about anything to be pushed over.

"Oh? Anything you say?" the brunette grinned and brushed aside the apron to get to the barista's pants. Lightning didn't remember saying a word out loud, but before she could voice her concern she felt her jeans unbuttoned and a hand slip inside. Just when Lightning thought her desires couldn't go any higher, the stranger surprised her. But yet she still wasn't far enough. "It feels good to just be in the moment, doesn't it, pet? Be a little selfish, revel in your own pleasure. The more you let go, the better it feels. The better it feels, the more you let go. Closer and closer."

The stranger seemed to be waiting for something, some kind of hold she had over her that no matter how many circles she painted inside her underwear, no matter how long her moans became, Lightning couldn't go any further. She cried out, hovering on the edge of release, unable to go the final, excruciating distance to tumble over it into sweet oblivion.

"So... Anything at all?" the brunette continued, her smile almost seemed smug.

"Yes... Please... Anything... Just... I..." Lightning panted, whining in the back of her throat as the stranger's ministrations continued. Her eyes rolled back in her head and her eyelids fluttered closed as her cries became more desperate.

"Will you give yourself to me, Claire Farron? Will you submit and be mine for eternity?"

_Wait... How did she know my real name...?_

The thought cut through the thick haze of desire like a diamond saw. She opened her eyes expecting to look into the sultry jade irises but instead saw only white where the green should be.

"Tell me, Claire. Submit and I will take you over that edge you desperately crave. I will give you pleasures untold and you will never want again, you just need to be mine. You just need to give me everything."

The voice that left the woman's throat wasn't that husky, Smokey sound she'd secretly looked forward to over the months of the stranger's visit but coated with maliciousness, low and rasping and guttural. "You're... One of them..." Lightning whispered, trying to regain her wits. She blinked and within a few flashes of her eyelids the facade dropped and she saw no woman, but a terrifying beast.

"Etro... You're one... Of... Them!" She yelled in rage, grabbing a mug and smashing it into the stranger's face. The woman screamed in pain and fell back clutching at her head. The growl that came from the demon made the hairs on the back of Lightning's neck stand on end as she slowly regained her composure, the fiery arousal diminishing now that she was no longer sharing skin contact.

"How… How are you even real… You can't be real…" Lightning whispered as the woman snarled from the floor, her face healing in seconds. An idea suddenly formed, one borne from countless hours over the years studying her mother's texts. She picked up the salt container from the counter and quickly poured it in a circle around the demon, and removed the survival knife from her belt. She cut her thumb and flicked the blood onto the salt ring. It immediately caught fire, encircling the stranger.

"I bind thee within the circle of light, wicked and disobedient spirit. I by the power of those names which no creature is able to resist, curse you into the depths of chaos to remain until the final bell tolls, kept in chains of fire and brimstone, unless you kneel before this circle and do my will!"

The stranger's white eyes widened, staring in a mixture of horror and disbelief. "... Impossible! You-" her own scream of pain cut her off, and she dropped to her knees within the ring. Her head hung low in defeat as she tried to catch her breath.

Lightning watched as the flames died down. She honestly hadn't expected that to work. Since this whole nightmare started the impossible became possible, so at this point, she shouldn't be surprised. Another idea suddenly struck her, and her heart rate increased as she considered it. If the so-called Seraphic forces refused to  _intervene_ , she would have to take matters into her own hands. And who better to get her to her sister trapped in hell than a denizen of the very place she sought?

"You. I bind you, accursed spirit, to my bidding and my power. By the circle of light, the three tasks I impart to you will bind you, and you will obey until they are completed and you are given license to depart."

The growl was low but Lightning still heard it. It looked as if she was going to attempt to break free of the bindings, but her head still hung in resignation. "I submit to your will, sorcerer. You may ask three things of me, and as per the circle of light I will be compelled to obey."

Lightning regarded the posture, while on her knees no less dangerous, her every muscle tense and primed to strike. "I will know your names, beast."

The demon flinched, finally raising her head to glare at the pinkette.  _Surely she could not know the loophole..._ The flames licked her boots and she sighed. "I go by many names, human. Which will you have from me?"

"I  _will_. Know your names. Beast."

 _Damn, had to go and play with a clever one didn't you, bloody fool._ No attempts to stall or get the human to accidentally make additional requests would work. She was stuck in the confines of the pact for a time at least, and then when she was free she could seek her revenge. She sighed and scratched at her neck. "The Giver of Desires, Master of Tongues, the Marquis of the Northern Legions. Ragnarok if you're feeling theatrical; Oerba Yun Fang if you're feeling traditional. Or, just call me Fang if you're feeling lazy."

"You will be compelled by the pact, to protect my life at any cost." Lightning continued, expression blank.

 _Well, there goes my ideas of revenge..._  The demon snarled, baring her teeth. "As you command,  _mistress_." She purred salaciously, deliberately choosing a sexual tone with her new title for the pinkette. Lightning couldn't help the stab of desire that shot through her, residual from her earlier interactions. She knew that the demon was reminding her of that on purpose, and by using that as a title with that husky voice almost made Lightning's resolve waver. Almost.

The demon narrowed her eyes and regarded the barista curiously, tilting her head. She had to admit she was intrigued as to where this was going. "What is the final thing you ask of me?" she grew concerned at the small quirk of the lips that held a hint of deviousness to the smile.

"You're going to take me to the lowest reaches of hell so I can rescue my sister."

The demon laughed, hysterically. She wiped a wayward tear from her eye when she was done but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the human hadn't moved. That was the third request. Coupled with the fact that she was bound to not allow the girl to come to harm, the realization sunk in.

"Fuck. You're... You're not joking, are you?"

Lightning stared, expression unwavering. Fang grunted as the salt circle suddenly imploded, the ring burning smaller and higher until it wrapped around her neck and cooled into a collar, snug against her skin.

"Fuck. You're not joking."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - I hereby dub this "Write until you can't feel your fingers anymore to stop from burning down the in-laws house" Weekend.

"So Oerba Yun Fang, what are you anyway?" Lightning asked as they walked along the dark streets towards her apartment. "Succubus?"

The brunette scoffed in disgust. "Please. Don't insult me. And for fuck's sake, just call me Fang." She growled, her distaste obvious. "I'm a demon of desire. Whatever a person desires I can provide, be it money, fame, death of an enemy... Which is why I find you so fascinating." She added, tapping at her chin in an over-exaggerated fashion as she walked.

A blush spread across Lightning's face and she glared. "What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

"That of all possible things you could have asked for, all the things in the world I could have given, you only wanted me. Did you find me attractive, mistress? Have you been coveting me for the many months I have entered your establishment?" Fang slowed up and stopped, turning to the human and stepped into her space. The pinkette grew heated at the memories and the close proximity. Even knowing what Fang was, her body still betrayed her. "Still, you crave I see. I can provide such relief for you,  _mistress,_ you need only compel me to and your desires become my desires."

Lightning pushed her back and took several steps away from the demon. Her eyes narrowed as she considered the words. "I compel you to tell me why I feel so strange around you, Oerba Yun Fang."

The demon grimaced and hissed as the collar tightened around her neck. Realizing she didn't exactly think that plan through, she hung her head with a drawn out sigh. "Because I bear temptation, and in my very veins bleeds corruption. My humble role now, after the war. It's in my very nature to tempt, to sway, to taint the hearts of woman and man. Being in my presence is enough to want to give in to one's desires, whether it be lust, wrath, greed, gluttony... It is not something I can simply  _turn off,_ I'm afraid." Lightning stared at the bindings around the brunette's throat and tilted her head at the strained tinge to her voice.

"By compelling you and using your true name you are bound to respond, aren't you? You cannot lie when I ask you like that?"

Fang looked away, anger clear in her expression.

"Oerba Yun Fang, I compel you to tell me what you know about my sister's abduction." Lightning said firmly, stepping into the demon's space. Fang flinched and hissed at the pain shooting across her at the request.

"I... Pulse dammit that hurts... I don't know anything about it. None of the echelon have it in their ability to cross the threshold, and those that do don't have access to the Void where she is allegedly being kept. Why someone would take a single soul to the farthest, frozen reaches is anyone's guess."

Lightning pursed her lips and looked away. She knew the demon told the truth. They continued on in silence down the path for a while, until the burning question in her mind needed to escape. "So wait, as a... Desire demon, that means..."

The demon turned and grinned salaciously. "It means... If I am so desired by your corrupted little mind, my very presence will pull at you. The longer you are around me the more you will want me. The closer I am to you the more you will burn for me. At least it will be entertaining while I am stuck here, to watch you struggle against your own need until you're begging me to take you. To end this silly contract so we can focus on far more... Pleasurable things."

"How do I stop feeling like this?" the human groaned, frustrated and perplexed at her body's traitorous behaviour.

"All you need to do is to stop desiring, and my draw to you simply ceases to be."

Lightning huffed and grumbled to herself, the demon catching a few words about her being an "evil fucking temptress" that brought a smirk to her features. They continued on to her apartment in silence, and the pinkette unlocked the door and stepped inside. She noticed that Fang didn't follow, and turned with a questioning glance.

"You must invite me, mistress. A demon cannot willingly cross the threshold into a home or body unless given permission." She drawled with a roll of her eyes, looking bored. Lightning nodded and gave the demon a once over.

"Oerba Yun Fang, you may enter my home."

Fang crossed the doorway into her apartment with a shiver. "Always feels strange to do that." The brunette muttered to herself, observing her surroundings. She looked around the apartment to find it a mess. Scorch marks covered the walls, and upturned furniture was everywhere. She whistled low as she moved to the bookshelves. "Well I think I can safely say you're not getting your deposit back, sunshine."

Lightning rolled her eyes and huffed. "I need to get changed. Oerba Yun Fang, I compel you to wait out here and... And behave!" she snapped, storming from the room. The demon groaned and went back to observing the books scattered about.

She picked one up and eyed the cover.  _Malleus Maleficarum._  Idly flipping through it, she chuckled at its contents. "Stupid bloody humans. No idea what lays beneath their feet." She trailed her finger along the spines of books on the shelf.  _Daemonologie, In Forme of a Dialogue_ ;  _The Lesser Key of Solomon; The Book of The Dead..._ Her browsing stopped when she heard the shower start. Fang sighed, remembering she was told to stay put and behave herself.  _Would have been nice to have at least gotten a look underneath that barista uniform..._

When Lightning returned from her shower dressed, she entered the lounge room while towelling off her hair to find the demon sitting on her couch perusing one of the many occultic books she had in her possession. "You know," Fang called out without looking up from her reading, "for someone that prior to the shit hitting the fan seemed to hold no belief in anything beyond the veil, you sure as Pulse have a lot of books on the topic."

"It was... An academic interest of mine. I inherited the books from my mother and found them interesting. An interest I now see has had its benefits." Lightning added, giving the demon a once over.

"I'll say..." Fang muttered in annoyance. "So, now that you have me under lock and key," she drawled, tapping at the collar around her neck, "What's the plan?"

"Find out who took my sister, and get her back. You're here to fill in the blanks."

Fang hummed and tapped her fingers against the book. A human seeking entrance to the kingdom of Pulse was no small ask, and the complexities of getting her there were even worse. She sighed and closed the book she had been reading. "You armed with enough knowledge in that pretty little head of yours to be aware of the basics? Grounding, shielding, banishing... Well you've obviously got binding covered.." She added with a grumble. Lightning couldn't help the amused sound.

"Hmph. I can handle myself, if that's what you're asking."

"There's being able to knee a mugger in the balls, and then there's having the ability to fight a  _demon_. I'm not a fan of having to kill my own kind but if you want your sister back, that's a possibility I'm going to have to face." Fang said with a roll of her eyes. "We'll look for a short cut in the morning. I'd recommend getting some sleep at this point. You won't get much where we're going. May as well enjoy your last night in your crispy burnt apartment, who knows when you'll be back."

Lightning narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "And what will you do?" The demon shrugged and waved around the room.

"I'm sure I can keep myself occupied with all this fascinating material. Go. Get some rest. You're going to need it with what we're to embark upon." Fang replied, sounding weary herself. The pinkette reluctantly retreated to her room and leant against the door.

She slowly turned and looked around at the minimalist surroundings, her bedroom thankfully untouched from the chaos earlier in the week. Lightning crashed out on her bed, tears in her eyes and utterly emotionally exhausted from the events since her sister was taken. She quietly cried herself to sleep, unknowing of Fang hearing her from the lounge room, staring at the wall with an unreadable expression on her face.

* * *

The next morning, Lightning got up still feeling exhausted despite getting at least a few hours of solid sleep. The smell of coffee pulled her from her bed and she wandered out to find Fang busy in the kitchen. It looked like the demon had been up for some time, having made breakfast and cleaned the apartment. The scorch marks that marred the walls were even gone, somehow.

"Ah, mistress. You're awake." Fang drawled, placing a plate of toast and eggs in front of the pinkette as she cautiously sat down at the kitchen bench.

"Couldn't... Sleep?" Lightning queried, hesitantly poking at the plate with a fork. Fang snorted and laughed.

"No sunshine, demons don't sleep. At least that I can remember anyway. Would have worn a sexy maids outfit just for you if I had it with me but..." Fang trailed off with a sultry wink that made Lightning scowl and fidget in her seat. The first bite of the breakfast was divine and she only just managed to stifle a satisfied groan. For a demon from hell, she sure made something from the heavens themselves.

Fang chuckled and bowed her head. "Well thank you,  _mistress._ It's good to know my efforts are appreciated."

Lightning paused mid-bite, and slowly lowered her fork. "I didn't say anything." The demon smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

"The thoughts of humans are known to me. All part of the package so I can know of their desires. I don't hear everything, just the ones that sing to me. And yes, just so you know," Fang paused with a smug grin and an obvious leer at the pinkette, "I heard every dirty little thought in your gorgeous head about me whenever I would grace the café with my presence. I particularly enjoyed the earlier ones where you couldn't figure out if you wanted to punch me or fuck me... Some of those fantasies of yours brought me  _many_  a night of pleasure thinking about you."

"S-shut up!" Lightning snapped, feeling very flustered. The demon smiled, happy to at least have something to chip away at while stuck in captivity. The pinkette turned away and put the plate in the sink, downing the coffee in a few large gulps. She frowned as a few black tendrils started to slither on the edges of her vision, and whispers in tongues licked at her ears. Glancing back at Fang who had her attention focused on another of her books as the shadows started to warp around them, she glared. "Stop that."

A dark eyebrow rose and the demon's eyes never left the book. "Stop what, mistress?"

"I compel you to cease your games and torment, Oerba Yun Fang!"

The demon hissed and growled as the collar bit into her neck. "Etro's fucking Gate enough with the compelling I'm not  _doing_  anythi... Wait." She stopped mid-sentence and stood slowly, warily looking around the apartment. She sniffed at the air and growled low in her throat. "Show yourself, messenger. I'm not in the damn mood for games this morning."

Black, wispy smoke trailed around the floor until it began to take human form. To Lightning's surprise, the smoke began to giggle, before a similarly-pink haired girl burst from within. At first, she thought it was Serah and she moved forward to hug her. She was stopped by Fang suddenly appearing beside her and sticking her arm out to steady her.

"Why are you here Lumina, and why torment the human by taking a form that resembles her sister?" the demon sighed, watching Lightning's eyes dart between the two. The apparition giggled some more and leapt up to sit on the kitchen bench, legs dangling playfully.

"Oh, when I'd heard that the mighty Ragnarok had somehow managed to be caught and bound by a human I didn't believe it. And when they asked for an envoy to deliver a message to the human, of  _course_  I was going to volunteer so I could see it for myself!" Lumina jeered, vanishing in a cloud of black smoke and reappearing behind Fang, a slender, pale finger toying with the collar around her neck. The taller demon growled and swatted her away.

"Knock it off,  _eifrit_." She snarled, baring her teeth in anger.

"Your legions are without a commander, Ragnarok. Do you not worry that Bahamut will take them from you in your absence?"

"Not if he values his wretched existence. This binding is temporary." Fang snapped, and any further words were silenced by a firm hand on her shoulder. She turned to find Lightning staring at her, a stern expression on her face.

"Oerba Yun Fang. Be calm. Please." The demon slowly sat back down as the anger was immediately extinguished by a mere touch, her eyelids fluttering closed. A strange sensation washed over her, feeling drowsy and tranquil from the pinkette's words and she suppressed a whimper in the back of her throat. That a human could hold such power over her was preposterous. She settled for pouting and glaring at the messenger.

"Now, spirit," the pinkette continued, turning to the giggling demon on the counter. "Lumina, please enlighten me to your presence."

Lumina clapped her hands with glee and the giggling turned to hysterical cackling. "Oh. This is too perfect. To say the high commanders are upset with this development is an understatement, Ragnarok, but at least it's highly entertaining for me." She mocked wiping a tear from her eyes and sighed, leaping from the counter. "I am here because no  _human_  is  _meant_ to have the kind of power to bind someone of your stature, Ragnarok. Which is obviously a concern, and means that the Thrones will be watching her as well." The messenger giggled, pointing at the collar wrapped tight around the demon's neck.

"Why is my sister in the Void?" Lightning asked, ignoring the girl's tauntings. She saw the briefest flashes of fear across the messenger's face before it was hidden beneath a cheeky smile.

"I know not why anyone who has not committed the gravest of sins and not  _dead_  would be taken to such a place. That is another matter of concern. There are many things that should not be possible that are being  _made_ possible. Our superiors sent me to advise caution. Surprisingly, for both of you." Lumina finished with a roll of her eyes. "Avoid the Thrones, Ragnarok. Do not let this one draw their gaze."

She vanished in a puff of smoke, both Lightning and Fang crinkling their noses at the smell of sulphur left in the messenger's wake. "Never get used to that smell." the demon muttered and folded her arms in a huff.

"So... Shouldn't have the ability to bind someone of your stature, huh?" Lightning drawled, not able to help the sarcasm. Fang narrowed her eyes and her upper lip twitched in annoyance.

"Don't get cute."

After having cleaned the plate and mug from breakfast, Lightning turned to find the demon staring at her curiously. Fang frowned and ducked her head, trying to catch the pinkette's gaze. "... Mistress, can I... May I ask a question?"

"If you aren't going to be crude, go ahead."

The brunette sighed and scratched at the skin around the collar on her neck. "What... are you?"

Lightning couldn't help the pensive smile, and the mild amusement at the more demure disposition Fang was displaying. She wasn't certain whether it was put on or not but she wouldn't complain if it meant less grating on her nerves.

"I haven't quite figured that out yet, if I'm being honest." At this stage, she didn't see a point in holding anything from her. "I was a barista, working nights while studying medicine, thinking that none of..  _This_... Ever existed. Then one day, everything I ever knew gets turned on its head, and my sister vanishes."

The edges of her vision blurred, black wisps creeping into her peripherals. She rubbed her temples with a grimace and tried to ignore the faint whispers sniping at her from all angles. She was startled by the sudden presence of Fang, who gripped her by the wrists firmly. Lightning began to struggle but stilled as the demon hushed her. She felt her wrists being released and her face being cradled.

"Look at me, mistress."

Fang's rough accent cut through the whispers and Lightning's eyes snapped open to find the demon right in her face, close enough to feel her breath. "Easy now," the brunette drawled slowly, stroking the sides of Lightning's face gently. "They can only reach. They can't touch you unless you let them." She smiled slightly as she felt the pinkette lean into her hands and make the smallest of mewling sounds. She closed her eyes and reached for the human's soul, seeking out whatever lay within her spirit. Despite the pain of the collar biting into her skin as she searched, she continued until she found what she was looking for. Her eyes opened in astonishment. "Well, I'll be damned. Well. I mean I am, but. You know. Figure of speech." Fang chuckled, mostly to herself. "But they really did you in when they ripped the veil from your pretty blue eyes didn't they, love?"

Lightning finally steadied her breathing, staring into Fang's inquisitive gaze. "By the Maker... You're a bloody demigod. No wonder you and your sister were marked. And you say you never knew? What a trip." The demon said, amazed. "Is the name a coincidence or did you know about your heritage on a subconscious level? You have Ixion in your blood. Odin, Ramuh, Raiden... All the old storm gods, their lineage lies within you."

The human's eyebrows raised and she looked down at her hands. "I have, all of that... In me? So, you're saying somewhere along the line I am related to an actual  _god_ of the old tales?"

Fang chuckled and rubbed at her face, willing the throbbing pain in her skull to pass. "Don't get ahead of yourself, it doesn't work like that love. They didn't turn into swans and fuck your ancestors if that's what you're thinking."

Lightning grimaced and crinkled her nose at the crude response, glaring at the demon to elaborate. Fang shrugged and moved her neck around, releasing the tension there while being reminded of the collar tight against her throat.

"When a god dies and yes, they can die, fragments of their souls splinter off into the chaos and merge with others in the stream. Humans wind up with those fragments meshed with their own souls, and so thus, the birth of a demigod occurs. It doesn't go by bloodline, purely the random chaos of chance."

The room fell silent once more and Fang felt her shoulder squeezed in acknowledgement from the pinkette. She hadn't even realised her hand was still there. "So, how do we unlock it all then?" Lightning asked, finding something else in the room to focus on. She knew too much time in close proximity meant trouble for her.

"That's the tricky thing. Humans aren't meant to have the power, as it risks disturbing the balance. So there are barriers put in place, including the veil itself to keep it locked up. We'll need to find the memories of the old ones, the weapon, and the spark that will unlock your true status as a goddess."

Silence drew out between them until the pinkette finally broke it.

"Oerb... Fang, if nobody on your radar took Serah, what do you really think happened?"

Fang frowned, though internally sighed with relief that the formal name was finally being dropped. "There's only one other possibility as to who took your sister, and it even makes  _me_  uncomfortable to think about it."

Lightning knew where the demon's thought process was headed. She'd even considered it herself when the seraphic leaders who were in her apartment the other day were less than helpful. The blonde anyway. The demon nodded to herself, something hidden behind her eyes. Fang stood and straightened the waistline of her jeans, an action that drew Lightning's eyes immediately south.

"We should... We should get going. There is someone we will need to see to try to figure this out." The Pulsian said, slightly amused at the human's reaction. Lightning nodded slowly, curious and deep in thought as she followed Fang from the apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, find me on tumblr with hoorayimuseful.tumblr.com for updates and art related to allllll of this stuff I'm writing.

 

Leading the way through the city streets, Fang moved through the crowded pathways with an eerie ease. Lightning watched as the people seemed to move instinctively out of the brunette's way without a second glance, except for any she managed to make eye contact with who would visibly shudder, eyes rolling back into their head with a quiet groan as they passed. It was unsettling.

Picking up on her thoughts, Fang chuckled and slowed her pace to allow the human to catch up. "All humanity is susceptible to corruption. Sorry to burst your bubble but it's not just you."

Lightning narrowed her eyes at the pedestrians, frustrated and jealous at their ability to just move on with their lives while all this warred around them, completely oblivious. What she wouldn't give for that kind of ignorance again. She glared at Fang's head whipping around with a hopeful expression, knowing she'd heard the thought once more. "Figure of speech Fang, you're not getting my damn soul."

"Figures." The demon grumbled, continuing on down the path. Her shoulders tensed suddenly, and she grabbed at Lightning's wrist. "We need to move. It's too crowded here. We're being pursued." She hissed, looking down at the ground beneath her feet. They both picked up their pace, the pinkette feeling the hairs on the back of her neck begin to stand on end. Rounding a corner, Fang stopped suddenly, looking around with a growl. Lightning's eyes snapped up to the landscape around her, no longer the city streets but a strange distortion of it. The road was destroyed, with flames hissing through the cracks in the asphalt. Buildings were decimated, rubble covered the ground. She recognised the place instantly, after all it had only haunted her sleep for the last decade.

"Fang…" Lightning said with rapidly growing concern and the demon pulled her towards her body.

"Stay close." Fang clipped, voice abrupt and her fingers twitching with anticipation. A low chuckle sounded from nearby and both turned to find a lone man in a suit leaning against a destroyed car. "What do you want, Geiseric? In a bit of a rush today, you know, places to go, people's souls to steal…"

The chuckle turned mildly more guttural as he leant forward and moved off from the car. "While you're bound to this pitiful human, Ragnarok, your legions are left without a leader."

"So people keep fucking reminding me today," She snapped, unamused and bringing her hand around behind her out of his line of sight. Lightning took a few cautious steps back.

"I don't need to fight you Ragnarok," He grumbled, his face suddenly swelling out as he grew before their eyes. His laughter shook the ground beneath them and Lightning fell backwards. "I just need to kill the human and that collar will remove your arrogant head from your pathetic shoulders." Geiseric snarled, his arms now the size of lamp posts. Towering over them, he swung his arm down violently, smashing into the ground as Fang moved in the blink of an eye. Lightning felt dizzy, suddenly displaced elsewhere on the street in the demon's arms.

"Etro you're bloody useless," Fang growled with a glare at the human, setting her down and turning back to the monstrousity lumbering towards them. She drew a symbol in the air with her fingers and a white glow appeared before her. Thrusting her hand into it, she pulled a wicked bladed lance from thin air. Fang twirled it in her hands and pointed the bladed tips at the demon charging at her. "Come on you ugly fucker, I've been waiting for an age and a half to put you back under your rock!"

Lightning watched, feeling completely helpless as Fang ran at the giant, putting savage slashed into its rocky, decaying flesh with her lance. He batted her with the back of his hand, sending her flying into a nearby ruined building. The brunette hit the broken concrete with a grunt as the air was shunted from her lungs, and she collapsed to her knees.

"I'm going to enjoy every long, drawn-out second of this, Ragnarok. I will send your legions your regards." He chortled, raising his fists high above his head.

"No!" Lightning yelled out, arm outstretched. A shrieking sound cut into both Geiseric and Fang's skulls and both clutched at their heads with a groan. The monstrous demon swung his arm down, crashing into the ground and missing Fang by mere inches. She snarled and felt her teeth twist into points, her fingers lengthening becoming disjointed. It was getting harder to maintain her human façade and at this point, she wasn't quite caring. Fang plunged her razor-sharp claws into Geiseric's wrist with a roar, and he shot backwards, trying desperately to get the raging demon off him.

Crashing onto the broken road he let out a bellow of agony as Fang kept cutting away with her talons, clawing her way up his arm until she was hanging off his face. With a savage snarl, she took her hand and plunged it into his eye socket, ripping it from his face. She leapt off him and threw the eye to the ground, spitting at his feet. "You want to keep going Geiseric? Take the other eye and send your soul to oblivion? Or have you had enough?"

His giant form vanished, leaving his human façade in its place. He was still broken and bleeding, the sight looking worse with the added frailty of his body. "Enough. I had hoped that if you were bound you would be weaker, but it seems your human didn't bind your strength, just your will."

"Try again next millennium fucker." She snapped, picking up a rock and throwing it at his head before storming off. She walked over to Lightning and picked her up by the arm in one quick pull, the human stumbling a few steps before regaining her balance. "Geiseric? If you have any involvement in that human's abduction I'm coming for your other eye. Now do something about the scenery."

He chuckled, dusting himself off as he stood on shaky legs. "I didn't, but I am fascinated to find out who did, as are a great many of the council. We'll see you in hell, Ragnarok. Looking forward to this on better grounds." Geiseric boomed. In a flash, Lightning yelped as she was bumped by a passerby who was clearly on a mission.

"Get off the sidewalk tourist!" He yelled over his shoulder as he stalked away. The pinkette looked around to find the streets looking decidedly normal, the people milled about their business and Fang was no longer covered from head to toe in demon blood.

"You mind explaining to me what the fuck just happened?" She snapped at the brunette, who raised an eyebrow in her direction and pulled her off the path into a nearby alley. "What the hell was that place?"

"Answered your own question there mistress," Fang replied with a shrug, "Hell. Or at least, an apparition of it. It's what lays beyond the veil. You could be walking through the streets of paradise, or the burning roads of hell. Just depends on who is doing the pulling. As for Geiseric, just an opportunistic prick who wanted to try his luck with taking over my territory. Today, Lady Luck wasn't on his side."

The reality of exactly what she was about to face hit Lightning full force, and she leant back against the wall, sliding down it to come to a stop on the ground. "Goddess, how am I even…"

Fang reached out her hand in offering to pull her back up, waiting patiently. "In your current state? You wouldn't last five seconds down there." She said, matter-of-factly, causing the human to glare. "But that's why we're going on our little adventure today, mistress. To find out how we can keep you alive. Come on."

* * *

The bell rung as the door hit it, with Fang strolling into the dark, dusty shop. The floor to ceiling bookshelves were over-stuffed with books and trinkets, and Lightning had to wonder what kind of store they'd walked into. She started to read the titles in the bookcase closest to her and quickly realised the collection would potentially put her mother's to shame.

"Oi, Dahaka, you in here?" Fang called out, stepping around the shelves. A bearded head popped up from behind a shelf and beady eyes narrowed at the two whom had entered his domain. "There you are you dusty old bastard. I need a word with you." The brunette growled, moving faster to grab the man before he scurried away. Lightning rolled her eyes and followed the demon.

"Fang, why are you harassing the shopkeeper?" She queried, watching her poke the man in the head.

"Come on you little beastie. Show yourself already. I ain't got all day." Fang complained, shoving the man's head with one final push. His neck snapped back, and Lightning gasped. The head had rolled upwards, revealing another face below his chin, draconic and sharp-toothed. He hissed at Fang and Lightning, struggling to move away from the demon's grip.

"Maker… What is he?" The pinkette asked, horrified at the sight before her.

"Dahaka here is an imp. Vicious little bastards they are. They hide and horde. Some of it is your standard gold and gems, sometimes its weirder shit. Saw one once that only collected waffle irons. Waffle irons! And no don't ask me why, I have no idea what goes on in their heads. Dahaka here is special though, aren't you sweetheart?" Fang cooed, tickling his stomach in a patronising gesture.

"What makes… Him… So special?" Lightning asked reluctantly, not even sure she should be referring to the imp as anything. Perhaps a less important question than what they were there for.

"Dahaka collects and hordes  _information_. Hence the bookshop. The tomes in here would more than satisfy your…  _Academic curiousity_  for the arcane," Fang rolled her eyes and crooked her fingers to make air quotations, "but he also trades in the knowledge of the unknown, and could point us in the right direction for whatever we need to do to find whoever is responsible for your sister's abduction."

The imp looked at the pinkette and then back to Fang. " _Birqa!_ " he hissed, pointing at the human.

"Yes yes, what of her?"

He peered at the collar around her neck and started laughing. " _Hatamta Ragnarok surta!_ " The demon growled and clutched at the imp's throat a little tighter, the action not stifling his amusement.

"Fang, what is he saying?" Lightning asked cautiously.

"He is…. Making fun of the fact that you bound me. That you bound Ragnarok in a ritual circle. He also recognised the demigod within you,  _Birqa_. Describes the flash of lightning. They're good little bloodhounds like that."

The pinkette hummed and looked the imp over, in Fang's grasp it was no less terrifying to look at, but seemed less threatening when the brunette was towered over it. "So, why are we here?" She asked, trying to move the conversation along.

Pulling a bag out of her pocket, she deposited it on the counter and dropped the imp in her hands. He scurried over to a chair behind the bench and started rifling through the pouch, pulling out USB drive after USB drive. "What is that?" Lightning asked, confused as to what was going on. Fang gestured at their surroundings and shrugged. "Information isn't found in dusty old tomes these days. They're found in data, code and tiny disks. I gave him what he always seeks, as payment for using his archives."

"The drives contain information? On what?"

Another shrug. "This and that. Dirt on celebrities, insider trading information, government secrets… You'd be amazed what people are willing to give up around me." The demon replied with a wink. She saw the darkening expression on the human's face and waved dismissively. "Don't fret your head off mistress, he hordes information like this, and only trades in what he's willing to part with. This all goes to his private collection. So, Dahaka, will it suffice?"

Black irises flitted up to the brunette and back to the monitor. "It… Will do." He rasped. "Strange… Company you find yourself… In… These Days, Ragnarok…" The imp continued with a chuckle, in broken speech unused to the language of humans.

"Oh. He can speak." Lightning said quietly, and Fang looked at her with an exasperated expression.

"Of course he can. He hordes  _information_. He speaks more languages than there are people in this city. He just doesn't get… Customers in here of your calibre enough to use it. Give him a second and he'll come good."

Dahaka leapt off the bench and crept over, adjusting his neck to align his human face and hiding his hellish appearance. "So it is true then, schemes align beyond the veil to unmake the world." He mused, clearing his throat.

Fang growled and stood closer to Lightning the closer the imp got, until their shoulders were touching. "What do you know  _djall_ , please don't test my patience."

"Only that Lord Pulse knows nothing of the human's capture, and is enraged at his own blindness. That something could occur in the darkest reaches of his kingdom that are known only to him, is something that gives him concern."

"Then why not just release her?" Fang queried, anticipating Lightning's question and putting a hand on her shoulder to steady her. The pinkette looked up at her and pursed her lips, trying to think of anything except the desire-tainted thoughts seeping into her mind like tar. Dahaka shrugged and moved back behind the counter.

"Unknown. Many possibilities. He may want to see it through, to find out where this trail of deception leads. He may see the human as a prize of invaluable measure if someone went to the effort of imprisoning her in the Void."

He gestured at the shelves behind them. "If there's anything to be found, you'll find it in here." The imp drawled, snapping his fingers. The door locked behind them and he pointed to the bookshelves. "Don't break anything, don't steal anything… And Ragnarok," he paused with a sly grin on his face as he moved to the back door leading to his dwelling behind the shop, uttering something to her in an undecipherable language.

Fang laughed and picked up a book, suddenly throwing it in the imp's direction with a snarl. He ducked out of the shop, cackling with his departure.

"Do I... Want to know what he said?" The human asked with hesitancy.

Fang shook her head and chuckled, stepping away from Lightning to put some distance between them. The pinkette immediately felt the loss of body heat and her growing desires subside and concluded that whatever it was the imp had said, it was crude and at her expense. Fang smirked and scratched at collar.

"He senses things. Demigods, other worlders, anyone being uh... Influenced. He basically said for us to clean up if we make a... Mess." she finished, giving the pinkette a very slow and pointed once over with a lick of her bottom lip.

Lightning stared blankly at her for a few moments before the realization sunk in. "Oh. Right. Well. Where do we start with all this?"

Trailing her fingers along the tomes, Fang closed her eyes as she searched. She held up her other hand to silence the pending question out of the human's mouth. "You ever messed around with divination, mistress?" she called out, drawing Lightning over to her.

"My mother, she worked with cards a lot. Thoth deck, from memory."

Fang hummed, appreciative in her tone. "She had good taste. Similar kind of method though. Here." She grabbed the pinkette's hand and interlocked their fingers. "Just close your eyes, calm your breathing and just listen to the currents. Feel the pull in one particular direction."

The warmth of the demon's hand, the closeness, it was hard for Lightning to focus, especially when Fang was so close to her ear. "Wh.. What exactly am I looking for?"

"The one that hums the loudest."

She felt her hand being drawn along the shelf, but couldn't figure out if it was by design or by Fang manipulating her hand. The only thing that was humming the loudest was the heartbeat in Lightning's chest, her head swimming with the demon's closeness. "Fang… Please step back." She whispered, resolve beginning to waver.

"As you wish, mistress…" Fang purred, content that she'd managed to rattle the human. "But ah, here's what we're looking for." She reached up and pulled out a particular book, bearing no title, just a strange symbol on the front. The demon opened the book and flipped through the pages, Lightning surprised to find it devoid of any text.

"We've been looking for an empty book?"

Fang simply smiled and stepped back as requested, turning the pinkette around slowly. Lightning gasped as she realised they weren't in the dusty bookshop anymore, but a vast, bright library, with impossibly high shelves. The hallways were seemingly endless, and there was the occasional sprite or humanoid apparition appearing in various spots, browsing the collections before them.

"Portal book. Welcome to the Records, mistress." Fang said with a little flurry of her hands, gesturing grandly to the hallways around them. "Here you'll find all of the knowledge of the cosmos, all memory and thought. Dahaka would give his right eye to be able to get into this place, but imps can't travel here."

"… Records… As in… Are we in the  _Akashic_  Records? You've got to be kidding me." Lightning baulked, looking around the place completely disbelieving what she was witnessing.

"You mean to tell me that after everything you've seen in recent times, this is where you would draw the line?" A voice behind the pair said, amusement tingeing his voice. They both turned to the source, a short youth with white hair. Fang groaned in recognition.

"Lightning, I'd like you to meet one of the Keepers. This is Hope." She sighed, and abruptly wandered off down one of the aisles before anyone else could respond. The pinkette went to follow her but the boy put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"She'll be fine, she has her own things to look for here. Take a break from being in her presence for a while, it'll help clear your mind."

Lightning found he was right, with the distance she didn't feel that pull to follow, that constant undercurrent of desire that simmered through every interaction. It gave her pause to wonder who was really bound to who.

"So, Lightning? You prefer that name to Claire, correct? How are you doing?" He asked, the question sounding innocent but the meaning behind it anything but. The pinkette couldn't help but laugh. Hope nodded and looked deep in thought. "I figured as much. It's no small feat what you've done you know. The echelon on both sides are equal parts furious and concerned that you have been able to bind Ragnarok. To say you got lucky would be the understatement of an eon."

The human looked the small boy over, a blank thin marble tablet in his hand that lit up with sigils and glyphs, pouring out endless information. She gave him a nod and gestured to the pad. "So if all knowledge is recorded here, you already know what I'm going to ask."

Hope looked down at his pad with a solemn expression and shook his head. "The specific memories relating to your sister's abduction aren't here, and that concerns all of us. It shouldn't be possible, everything is recorded here. Everything." He pursed his lips and looked off down one of the aisles where they both spied Fang pulling a book off a higher shelf.

"Do you know what she's looking for here?" Lightning asked with a frown.

"Answers, like anyone." He shrugged, motioning for her to follow him. They wandered down the aisles, pristine books that appeared to shimmer in the light as they passed. Hope motioned to the ring on her hand. "That has a lot to do with it."

"My mother's ring?" She glanced down at it with a frown. It was an heirloom given to her along with the books when her mother passed. It always brought her comfort whenever she touched it, like her mother wasn't really gone. Lightning ran her thumb over the symbols embossed into the silver and peered at them. Hope pointed at the small letters engraved on the ring and looked up at her.

"It's the Tetragrammaton. Wearing the seal on your person while binding a spirit doesn't just give you the three pillars of the pact. You can effectively force her to submit to your will, and do your bidding beyond it if you know her true name."

It all made sense. The demon's frustration with being forced to answer her questions, being able to quell her rage at the sprite Lumina… A part of her wondered how far she could push it. Though an additional part of her felt guilty at the concept, even knowing that it was in Fang's very purpose to do the same to her. It may be of the demon's nature, but not her own.

"If she knows this she will try to take the ring from you."

Lightning laughed and fidgeted with the ring. "Good luck with that. I've had this ring on since I was a teenager. I can't get it past the knuckle anymore and can't bring myself to get it cut off." She replied and picked a random book off the shelf, rifling through it. The pages were blank but if she focused she could see words flitting across her view. Hope smiled and took the book from her. He held it up and pointed at the pages.

"You focus on what you want to see. In this instance, you will want to look into the memories of the parts of your soul that made you a demigod. You can integrate them into your own being with a bit of concentration, so that their experiences become yours, as do their abilities."

"Huh. Like muscle memory. This must be what Fang was talking about when she mentioned us taking a shortcut." Lightning mused. Hope drew a few sigils in the air with what appeared to be a quill and motioned to the pages.

"No, this is more the shortcut. It's... Against the rules to intervene but... If reality is ended, there will be nothing left to record. What will become of this place? Will it vanish along with it? Or remain as a monument with no purpose?" Hope sighed, looking around to see if anyone had heard him.

Lightning scoffed and went back to reading as Hope bowed and took his leave. A great many impossible things were happening around her, it would seem. She looked around and found a white marble table nearby, and took a seat. She found Fang a few aisles down, staring intensely into a book with a set jaw. Whatever she was perusing wasn't likely light reading. She thought about the possibility that the demon was reading about her bindings and shivered.

Instead of focusing on what was likely going to become a problem later, she went back to her own book, concentrating on the glyphs like she had been instructed. Her breathing became deeper and her heart rate slowed as she found herself being drawn into the image. It was a strange sensation, like falling out of the back of her head.

A thousand images suddenly rushed through her mind, too fast for her to analyse any given one. Storms, countless storms. Battles. Lives. Deaths. All of them slamming into her head. A knight in green and white clad armour, a god in robes standing at the top of a mountain, a massive horse with a sickle blade protruding from its head that split the very atoms in the air with a single swipe. The bladed warriors atop six-legged mounts. The monks in the temples. Where any of them ended and Lightning began, she couldn't see. Her mind hurt from the assault.

Suddenly she felt the book being slapped from her hands and she fell back into the waiting arms of a panicked looking Fang.

"Shit... Are you ok? Mistress, talk to me..." she said quietly, patting her face lightly. The human groaned and sat up, pressing the heels of her palms into the sides of her head.

"Etro that hurt... Fang... Can we please go home? I... I need to lie down." Lightning murmured. She felt tears streaming down her face and moved to wipe them clear, but when her hands pulled away she found blood instead.

The demon nodded and cleaned up her face with her sleeve. She picked the human up, cradling her in her arms. "You're alright, mistress. Integrating memories isn't exactly a painless process." Fang explained and carried her over to the exit portal, sparing one last glance back at the silver-haired boy who was watching them with curiousity.

"Good luck, Ragnarok. You'll need it with that one." He said with a small grin. She couldn't stop the snarl on her face.

"Better pray that I'm bound to this human for a while kiddo. I know you told her about that bloody ring, and that interference isn't going to go unpunished."

She kicked at the glyph near her feet and shattered it, and the archives faded away until they were back in the dusty bookshop. Fang said nothing to the imp who watched on with no small amount of jealousy. They made their way back to Lightning's apartment in silence once more, the pinkette not caring how close she was to the demon at that point.

Fang helped her into the bedroom and into bed, before turning with a sigh and heading to the door.

"What... Did you read about? While we were in the archives..." Lightning asked with a tired voice. Fang looked back and slumped her shoulders, heading back and sitting on the bed next to her.

"Just... Old memories. Mistakes. Are... You alright, mistress?"

Lightning nodded. "I think so. Headache, tired, but otherwise ok. It's... A lot to process in a short time."

A small amount of laughter escaped the demon's throat. "I suppose it would be. Get some sleep mistress, we'll see how you are in the morning and proceed from there." Fang said, and made to move off the bed before a pale hand caught her around the wrist.

"Fang... Do you actually sleep? Is it a case of can't or won't?"

The brunette simply looked away, refusing to answer even knowing Lightning could compel her to.

"How long has it been?"

More bitter laughter from the demon and she turned away from her. "Let's just say a while." Fang felt her face caught by a pale hand, drawing her gaze back to the human's. She realised it was the hand that bore that Pulse-be-damned ring, and swallowed hard.

"Fang, aren't you tired?"

For each and every blink, the demon's eyelids got heavier. She hadn't felt tired in more than an age but with the human's soft voice, and hand on her cheek she felt like she could stand to be sleepy for a moment. "What... What are you..."

"Oerba Yun Fang, sleep. Rest a while and have a dreamless sleep."

Suddenly Fang slumped back onto the bed, barely able to keep her eyes open. The briefest look of panic crossed her features before her eyes closed and her expression smoothed out. Her lips parted slightly, and her breathing evened out.

"Sleep well, Fang." Lightning whispered as she pulled the demon's legs onto the bed, placing a blanket over her and then left the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby chapter! And thus brings us to an end of UPDATEFEST; I've managed to survive the weekend with the in-laws house still intact, about 15,000 words written across about 7 in progress stories. This should tide you lot over for a while until the next round of updates- I am HOUSE HUNTING TO ESCAPE THE IN-LAWS for the next few weekends so updates will be a smidge sporadic between now and xmas.

The first thing Fang felt when she was brought back to awareness was warmth, and sunlight against her closed eyelids. She felt a smile on her face as she revelled in it. "Maker, was it all just a terrible dream?" She whispered to herself, and slowly opened her eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling, in an unfamiliar bed. The light source was the morning sun peeking through the curtains.

The smile fell from her expression as the realisation crept into her awareness, and she sat bolt upright in bed. Her eyes were wild as she looked around in a panic, breathing heavily and clutching at the sheets. Fang's chest heaved and she clasped her fist against it. The air hurt to breathe, the light burnt at her eyes. She choked down a sob as the pain renewed itself, the ever-lasting grief and absence of the Maker's presence.

It must have been her. The pink-haired captor had done something to her last night. The memories came rushing back and they caused her to snarl. How dare the mortal be so presumptuous. How dare the human force her will onto her like… She would have done given half the chance.

Fang forced herself to calm down. Punishment would be swift if she approached Lightning with anger given the collar bound to her flesh. She closed her eyes and remembered her place, what she was, casting aside those brief moments of peace before clarity sunk in. She remembered why she didn't sleep anymore. Those few moments before awareness on awakening cleaved what was left of her soul. She couldn't stand the dreams of paradise lost on sleeping, and couldn't stand the heart-rending hurt on awakening. That simple moment of tranquillity was not something she got to be privy to anymore.

She felt the tear slip down her cheek before she could stop it, and her breath caught in her throat when she realised she was being watched.

"Fang… Are you ok?" Lightning's voice asked quietly from the doorway. The demon scoffed and rubbed her face with her hands in an attempt to wipe the wayward evidence of emotion away. She turned to the human with a snarl on her face.

"What would you care, mistress? I am but a lowly devil, merely here to bend to your insufferable will."

Lightning's jaw clamped shut, whatever words were on her tongue suddenly locked away. The pinkette narrowed her eyes at the demon, and then shook her head, walking from the room. Fang frowned at the feeling of guilt that surged through her and tried to shake it off as she got out of bed and tentatively made her way to the kitchen where the human was busy making coffee.

She watched as the human worked, her own miniature version of the coffee machine at the café steaming away from the boiling water. When Lightning had finished, she poured the results into a tall mug and slid it across the bench to the demon. "Caramel latte, two sugars, cream. Your usual." She said curtly, before heading out of the kitchen. Fang stared at the contents and inhaled the biting aroma of the coffee mixed with the sweetness of the caramel. The scent was muted, as always, but if she focused she could catch the warm, sweet notes of the caramel. More punishment for her sins, to have her senses so cruelly dulled. She simply held the drink for a time, feeling the tiniest evidence of warmth from the mug in her hands. She sighed and then took the coffee with her, following the human into the lounge room.

She found Lightning sitting on the floor amongst piles of books, her shoulders hunched over as she read from a particular old grimoire. Fang sat down on the couch and watched as she sipped her drink, humming in contentment at what she could taste. The sound caught Lightning's attention, and the two made eye contact for the first time that morning.

"It… Reminds me of things I can't have." Fang said quietly, gripping the mug tighter. "My transgressions against the Maker mean that I don't get to have the simplicity of peace and tranquillity anymore. I know it sounds silly, but… Your coffees are probably the closest thing I get to paradise, their own form of quiet and reflecting contemplation. I mean, I can't taste it anyway but it smells nice. All tastes like ash sadly."

"Ash... What do you mean?" The pinkette asked, tilting her head curiously. She didn't think the coffees she made were  _that_  bad and if they were then it baffled her as to why the demon would keep coming back. Fang laughed a little, hearing the thought and sighed. 

"It's part of the punishment.  _Blind to the Maker, thou shalt never taste paradise, nor smell the incense of the most holy, nor hear the choirs, nor feel the Maker's touch._ Except for sulphur. I always smell the sulphur from below. They give me this fleshy body, but it's like I'm encased in lead. Despite that though, the first latte I ever bought at your cafe cut through it a little. Its…  Why I kept coming back."

Lightning blushed and looked away, back to the book with a quiet huff. "I'm… Sorry if I did something wrong, making you sleep last night."

The apology caught Fang off guard, it wasn't something she was expecting from the human. The brunette fidgeted in her seat before resting her head back on the couch. "There's a moment you have when you first wake before you're truly aware where everything is quiet and peaceful, and the weight of the world hasn't yet settled on your chest. In those moments I… Feel like everything that's happened was just a bad dream, and I am home. Then I open my eyes and the pain sets in. I stopped sleeping centuries ago because the hurt was too great."

Lightning looked up at the demon, feeling mortified. "Goddess…  Fang, I had no idea…  I'm so sorry." She whispered, getting up from her place on the floor and moving over to the couch. She sat next to Fang, unsure of where to even begin comforting a demon. The brunette smiled at the gesture and gave a lazy shrug.

"I know you meant well, mistress. I wouldn't worry about it. How long have you been up reading?" Fang asked, tactfully changing the subject, once she'd settled her rapidly beating heart, but still enthusiastically sipped away at the coffee. Lightning accepted the shift and let the slip up between them go for now.

"A while. Been reading up on the old gods, trying to help compartmentalize the different memories and things. The... Voices have been getting a little louder since we got back. It's making it hard to concentrate." She admitted while sagging back into the couch. Fang shook her head and turned, resting her chin on her hand to regard the pinkette. The demon suddenly sat forward and leant in close, causing Lightning's breath to catch in her throat.

"You know what I said the other day? About how they can reach, but only touch you if you let them? The same theory applies to yourself. If you're reaching out, things will grab back that are willing. It's why you can hear the voices. By blindly reaching out through the veil you're just casting a wide net. And all you're going to catch is crazy."

Fang let a mischievous grin appear on her face as she contemplated her next move. "Here, I'll show you so you can tell the difference. Close your eyes, and reach for me with your mind."

Reluctantly, Lightning closed her eyes and thought about how exactly one was meant to do that, frowning at the demon's chuckle. She thought about taking it literally and imagined her arm reaching out.

"Hone your focus mistress, think of the goal. While you reach you must also protect yourself…"

 _Because I can certainly reach back_. Fang's voice echoed in the human's head, and Lightning attempted to suppress a shiver. She felt fingers trailing on the back of her neck and opened her eyes in shock. Fang hadn't moved from her spot on the couch, save for a smug grin on her face.

_When you allow yourself to be so open, everything can reach._

The demon's voice was heard clear as day, even though her lips weren't moving. Lightning inhaled sharply when she felt the ghost of touches along her collarbone.

_See, I'm not able to do anything to you that your brain won't perceive as harm so the usual methods of training won't work. But until you learn to shut me out, I can at least utilize other... loopholes to get you to step up._

The pinkette felt her breath start to increase in pace, as the touches began to travel south, and she felt lips along her neck. Her jaw opened as she felt phantom lips press against hers and she gasped. "Fang, stop."

"I can, and will if you so command it, mistress." The demon replied, speaking with her now, "but like I said, I can't snipe at you like the voices do without bringing myself harm. So at least I can get you up to speed while making it… enjoyable for both of us."

"That's... Convenient for you isn't it?" Lightning said with a growl. Fang shrugged absently and checked her nails.

"If you'd prefer to go to the depths of hell unable to even do the basics to fight back against the v-GAH." The demon suddenly yelped mid-sentence and her hand shot up to her neck, just above the collar. She swore she felt someone pinch at her skin. Her jade eyes narrowed at the pinkette who wore her own smug grin.

_Interesting._

Fang's eyes widened at the voice in her head. It shouldn't have been that easy for the human to pick it up. She leant forward and shifted in her seat.  _Impossible..._ She thought to herself, eyebrows raising as she saw Lightning smile.

"Well, what do you know, it does work both ways."

The demon immediately threw up her barriers and watched as the pinkette blinked. Fang nodded approvingly and closed her eyes. "Very good, Sunshine. I'm impressed at how quickly you're picking this up. There's a number of different ways to protect yourself; you can use light, colour, familiars... Whatever you can conjure in your head that for you, represents protection."

Lightning envisioned herself clad in armour from one of her favourite stories as a kid and clenched her fist. Silver plating across her shoulders and chest clicked into place, and a white feathered piece hung from the belt. The sniping voices on the cusp of her hearing suddenly got quieter, causing her to sigh with relief. Fang prodded at her ethereal state and caught a flash of an image of the human, causing her jaw to drop. "Quite the... Uh... Get up you have going on in there, mistress." She said slowly with a lop-sided grin. "The feathers there as decoration?"

Lightning scowled with a blush and looked away. "It's... From a story that my mother used to read to us as kids. About the guardian of the Goddess." She muttered, seeing the teasing smirk soften into something a little warmer.

"That's good, mistress. It'll serve as an anchor point for you to call it easier. The more familiar, the more natural it is until it's reflex. Do you... Want to continue?"

The human nodded and stood up from the couch. "I'm going to go make more coffee first. It sounds like we're both in for a long day." At the mention of more coffee, Fang's face lit up and she followed Lightning into the kitchen excitedly.

After the refills were made the pinkette stared at Fang's intense concentration as she attempted to pick up the scent of the coffee. The frown didn't leave her face. She stared at the ring and wondered about the full extent of the power. She knew her thoughts were heard when the audible huff from the demon made itself heard. "It's as Hope said. With that ring, you knowing my true name, you can force me to do anything. My will becomes your will, all that mystical crap."

An idea formed in Lightning's head as she stared at the coffee in the demon's hands. "Fang, with your permission I would like to try something. To make it up to you for last night."

A dark eyebrow quirked at the request. It was one thing that the human was asking for permission, but that she was attempting to make amends? With a demon? Fang had to admit she was curious and nodded slowly. Lightning reached over and touched her jaw gently, the metal from the ring feeling hot against her skin. She gulped and tried her best not to look worried.

"Oerba Yun Fang, I want you to taste as the humans do. Nothing further is to have the flavour of ash, no scent remains hidden, no touch muted."

Fang gasped at the flash of light that ran behind her eyes. There was a strange feeling in her mouth, like her tongue was swelling. It settled after a few seconds and then, nothing. She looked down at the coffee in her hands and tentatively took a sip. The sweetness hit her taste buds and she let out a long groan. "By Etro. That is the greatest thing I have tasted in millennia. I think I might stay when the pact is done just so you can make me more of these. Gods. Taste! I can taste! What do other human things taste like? Maker, this is amazing." She said giddily, astounded that the pinkette was capable of finding a loophole in the "eternal terms" of her punishment.

She leant forward and captured the human's lips, to see what she tasted like. Both gasped at the contact, Fang completely unprepared for the sensations that flooded her system. The soft sounds that escaped Lightning made her feel like she was burning all over again. Lightning's perfume assaulted her senses, the subtle rose and sweet fruit replacing her oxygen.

Her advances were suddenly halted by a hand against her chest, and she couldn't suppress the needy whimper that tore from her throat.

"Fang... Please. Stop."

The demon's eyes snapped open at the words, tearing into her awareness like a knife. She saw Lightning breathing heavily, and barely restraining herself. Fang slowly sat back and blinked. "Uh. I'm... Um... I apologize. I... Don't know what came over me. I..." She trailed off, feeling strange. It was not the human's desire, but her own that overtook her. She hadn't had any of her own needs in thousands of years, a slave to everyone else's around her. She didn't know how to feel about that.

Blushing to her roots, Fang coughed nervously and looked down at the coffee that was still in her hands, miraculously unspilt. "Thank you... For the coffee. It's every bit as amazing as I hoped it would be." She said quietly, though it wasn't the latte she could still taste on her lips.

Lightning watched the demon closely, still trying to regain her composure after the sudden onslaught of intense arousal from the brunette, and the realization that she stopped simply because she was asked, not compelled. She finally glanced at the latte and chuckled. "I'm… Glad you like it." She finally replied, returning her gaze to her reading with the tiniest of smiles.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CELEBRATEFEST. So today is a bittersweet day, as the Australian marriage equality postal vote survey results were announced, and thankfully it was an overwhelming yes. So, as a "hoo-fucking-ray for everything" kind of affair, I'm throwing down a couple of chapters in celebration of the fact that a good portion of the population thinks us worthy to wed. I am trying reeeally hard not to get pissed off by the whole thing, and am trying to be grateful to see some forward momentum, but fuck it let's just take a breath and focus on common sense, love and a shit-tonne of Flight.

The two walked through the park, side by side while Lightning allowed herself to be led to whatever destination the demon had in mind. She kept seeing the wisps in her peripherals that would vanish when she would try to catch them in her gaze. The distorted shadows, the flickering faces. "Goddess… How much of this world have I been unable to see.." Lightning whispered, feeling unsettled by her surroundings.

Fang chuckled, her laughter sounding like syrup to the pinkette's ears. "Most of the world is blind, mistress. It's what allows us to move amongst them. Our counterparts above us are too busy with their cloud fluffing and boring sermons to experience life down here. You have it made. Such ingenious, industrious creatures you humans. Coffee! Never mind the heavens;  _that_  is divine.  _Especially_  when you make it."

Lightning fought against the smile that threatened to escape at the compliment and gave a small snort instead. "Wouldn't think an evil demon would care for the pleasures of the earth." She mused, receiving a scowl in response.

"You have  _had_  sex, right? The pleasures of the flesh untold? I care plenty for them, dear  _mistress_. Look at your wars, your greed, your debauchery. There's such passion in your lust, your rage, your pride. It's beautiful. Humans are closer to hell than those pompous arseholes in the Sanctum, in every sense."

Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Lightning began to walk away, before she was grabbed by the wrist.

"Wait," Fang called out, bringing her to a halt. "I just... I want to stay for a moment. If... That's ok. Please."

The pinkette looked around and found a nearby busker playing a melodic tune on his guitar, somehow using it both as a stringed and percussive instrument. Fang was requesting to remain to listen to him.

"Alright, we can stay for a few minutes."

Lightning looked back at the demon and was surprised to see her eyes were closed and she had the softest of smiles on her face. She was listening to him play, in her own little world. The pinkette allowed the pause in their travels, mainly to observe the brunette while she was lost in the music. For once a calm expression graced the tanned features, with the smile on her face holding the faintest tinge of sadness.

The demon's jade eyes opened slowly and looked at the human before her. "... Thank you." She said quietly, sincere in her tone. She laughed bitterly while conjuring a bundle of notes and throwing them into the guitar case. "I was a Seraphim, once. Before all... This." Fang gestured around her. "When I wasn't raining down retribution in the Maker's name I was a Muse, there to inspire the masses. The Order drove me to near madness. Only rules and anything involving glory to the Maker. Passion of any sort was forbidden. No sex, no love, no pride, no real, genuine joy. It was all just reverence, and in worship of  _Him._ " Fang spat, looking bitter.

"It was the humans, you see. They were the catalyst that spurred Pulse forth in his mad quest." The demon explained with a wistful smile as Lightning watched on. "The Goddess Etro made them of her own blood, when the Maker himself forbade it. But instead he allowed her creations to live, to die and be reborn in the chaos. No matter what they did, no matter how they turned their back on him. The Maker only saw his daughter in the humans, so couldn't bring himself to end their miserable existence. And yet we were bound by the Holy Order, no free will of our own and nothing but eternal punishment for stepping out of line."

She sighed, bowing to the musician in acknowledgement. Lightning watched the demon with interest, as Fang looked off into the distance. "When the Archangel Pulse was done playing servant, he rallied against the other Seraphim and waged war. He lost, as did we all. We only wanted the freedom to chose, as the humans did. And instead we were cast into the abyss, the price we pay for trying to feel something other than the holy shackles around our throat." Fang finished with bitterness lacing her voice, rubbing at the collar bound to her neck.

"That's... Certainly different to how the Scriptures tell it." Lightning admitted with a shrug. The demon scoffed and growled.

"Scriptures... Self-congratulatory drivel. All this perpetual apologizing for one's existence for having the very audacity to be born in the first place. All this bowing to higher powers. No. Make your own power, take what is yours by birthright. Don't turn the other cheek. If your enemy smites you on one cheek, smash them on the other!"

Fang was shaking with anger, looking out over the park. Watching the humans blindly going about their lives with no knowledge whatsoever of anything that surrounds them was only serving to frustrate her further.

"Fang... I..."

"I... Sorry. I get a bit carried away, thinking about the past." She sighed, exhaling forcefully through her nostrils, trying to be a little quieter. "The Maker has an endless capacity for forgiveness when it comes to humans, but for his own children he cast us out for simply wanting to feel. To love. To lust. To experience as the humans do. We weren't children to him, merely tools. And what else does one do with tools? There to serve, be used and cast aside when the rust gathers too high. I lost everything. My home, my work, my entire being and everyone dear to me… All because for a fleeting moment I thought Pulse's way was any better than that nest of vipers."

The air around them suddenly stilled, sending birds scattering and the people around them distorted and froze in their place. "Aw fuck, really?" Fang groaned, letting go of the pinkette's hands and turning slowly, making sure to keep herself in between Lightning and the man she knew would be standing there. "Well whaddya know, it's my old friend Rosch of the Cherubim. Been a while hasn't it? How many thousands of years and souls lay between our last meeting?"

To say the angel looked furious was an understatement. He ignored Fang's baiting and whirled on the human. "Claire Farron, I warned you not to get involved, and instead you go and bind yourself to a demon? And Ragnarok of all?"

The salacious grin that spread across Fang's face wasn't missed by either of them. "Hey, after a few thousand years of boredom you can forgive a girl for getting complacent. The human got lucky, and it's not like I see you doing anything to free her sister from Pulse. The Sanctum seems content to just fold their wings in defeat and let an innocent soul freeze for eternity in the Void."

"Fang..." Lightning warned, not impressed with the description of her sibling. The demon turned slightly to catch her eye, tilting her head in apology.

"We are not sitting back and doing nothing, Ragnarok. But there are rules. You  _know_  this."

Rolling her eyes, Fang vanished into a cloud of black mist and reappeared next to the angel. "The humans have a wonderful saying here, Rosch. Rules are made to be broken. It's fun. You should try it some time." She whispered near his ear with a smile.

The pinkette watched him become flustered and narrowed her eyes, both at the demon and at herself for feeling jealous. She saw Fang's eyes widen for a split second and inwardly cursed. The demon would have heard that thought.

Fang filed that little tidbit away for later, a surprising thrill running through her at the knowledge. She was amused by the notion that a human could be jealous with someone like her. Fang's expression faltered as the realization sunk in that the human harboured such feelings. She didn't quite know what to do with that as she first thought.

"What would you have me do Rosch?" Lightning snapped, fed up with this frustrating standoff. "You gave me the nudge in the right direction, to start reading up on things, and it led me to her." She said, gesturing at Fang. "You cannot expect me to just go about my life and wait for news after everything that's happened."

"Child, you don't know what you've done. What that demon will do once the pact is completed." The angel warned, eyes darting between them. Lightning looked back at Fang and forced her gaze.

"I assume once the pact is completed you will own my soul, yes? It's your imperative to collect, as is your nature. So once Sarah is free, you're going to take me as payment, correct?" She said as casually as talking about the weather. Fang's jaw hung open, as did Rosch's. She wasn't wrong, that was the loophole in the pact, after the completion of the three requests, the demon could ask for something in return as recompense. And it would always, always be the summoner's soul. Nothing else held value to a demon.

"You... You knew? And you still willingly seek her aid?" the angel said, disbelieving.

The pinkette shrugged. "You asked me to read specific books, and I did. If it means my sister goes free I will pay any price, no matter how high."

Rosch ground his teeth in his head, bewildered that a human would be so willing to give away their very soul. "You don't know what you speak of, human." He growled.

"Sure I do." Lightning replied with a roll of her eyes, grabbing Fang by the back of the neck. "Oerba Yun Fang, get my sister free and I am yours. If we free her from her tomb and save her soul I will submit to your will and be yours for eternity, as per the confines of the pact."

The demon gaped at her, mouth opening and closing in surprise. The angel turned away, shaking his head. "I cannot help you now, child. If you draw the gaze of the Thrones, I will not be able to stop them." He said, not hiding his disappointment. He vanished in a flurry of white fire, leaving the two standing in the middle of the park, alone.

After the air settled and returned to normal and the people around them took up movements again, Fang turned to the human, not knowing what to say. "Mistress... You knew? Why didn't you..?"

"It served no purpose to say anything. Can… You do me a favour though, please?" the pinkette asked quietly, voice wavering a little in the wake of the angel's departure. "Stop calling me mistress."

Fang looked at her for a moment, before bowing her head. "Of course, Lightning."

* * *

"So, of the alleged places we need to go, you take me to a bar."

The demon laughed and put an arm around her shoulder. "Aside from the fact that you could probably use a drink, we need to see a man about a shortcut and he just so happens to be inside."

"In a bar. Aptly named After Life. In the Burroughs." The pinkette drawled, trying hard not to inhale too deeply and catch the demon's scent. "Fang. Proximity." She warned, fighting against her need to press in closer.

"Huh? Oh. Right. Um. About that. I think we could have a problem." Fang gulped, looking at the doorway to the underground bar. "Humans aren't allowed unless… accompanied by one of us."

"You're not going to be able to take your arm off me are you." Lightning sighed, feeling that familiar heat begin to rise from within her again.

"If it makes you feel any better I don't  _have_ to take this appearance. I mean this is what I looked like before... Um... But I can take a different form if you prefer. Put a couple of boils on my face, become a fat bloke or something…"

Lightning grimaced at the thought, and let her eyes indulge in the demon's lithe body for a moment before frowning. "No… I'd rather you didn't. If I'm going to go to hell I may as well have something nice to look at before I damn myself for eternity."

Within the span of a few seconds Fang's face went from cheeky grin to a lance of hurt. "Sure thing, mis… Lightning." She said uneasily, her jaw tightening as she nodded at the guard at the door. He grunted at them and let them pass, the pinkette trying not to flinch as she crossed the threshold of the doorway and saw his human apparition drop for a fraction of a second.

They made their way down the stairs, red lights creating the appropriate atmosphere. It was dark, dank and loud, with pulsing music vibrating the floor beneath them as they descended. The narrow hallway opened up into a large industrial floor, bodies writhing as they danced. Lightning's vision was assaulted by human apparitions and demons alike, and she paled at the sight of them. The music thrummed, the air reeked of alcohol and arousal. Disorientated, she retreated into herself and allowed Fang to take the lead, the demon's arm possessively wrapped around her waist as they moved through the crowd. There were a few times when hands reached for her, but were met with a savagely growling brunette that taught them a valuable lesson about restraint. The longer Fang's hand was on her skin the more she wanted it to stay. She bit her lip and leant in closer, allowing her to hone her focus solely on the brunette.

They moved to the bar to find a luminescent-haired youth acknowledging them with a wave. "Usual tonight, Fang?" He called out, giving them both a once over. Fang nodded and held up her fingers.

"Make it two, and find a booth for us away from all this noise while we wait for the Ferryman yeah?"

The youth grinned, all teeth and his hair lit up even more, looking like blue fire flickering off his scalp. He poured the requested drinks, handing them off to a dark-haired waitress who sauntered up to the women and pressed close to the demon.

"Fang sweetheart, I've been so worried about you!" the waitress exclaimed, cleavage practically bouncing out of her bikini top she was flouncing about in. Lightning narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth without her even realising she was doing it. The dark-haired woman's eyes darted between them, before finally resting on the collar that was snug around the demon's neck. "So, the rumours were true…" She whispered, reaching up and feeling the material against Fang's throat.

"It's… Complicated. A human was taken and imprisoned in the Void. A living, breathing, innocent. This one is her sister. And she has… Requested my assistance to bring her back." Fang explained as the waitress led them over to a corner booth away from everyone. "Lebreau, this is Lightning. Lightning, Lebreau."

They both nodded apprehensively in greeting, and the demon rolled her eyes. "Let me know when the Ferryman is ready for an audience yeah? With her here in this place, we're on a time limit."

The waitress bowed with a wink before vanishing back into the crowd. Fang leant back in the chair and took a long drink. "Etro, what a bloody mess this all is." She sighed, talking to nobody in particular. The overpowering taste of the alcohol was more intense now that Lightning had restored her senses, and she suppressed the coughing fit that threatened to appear. She felt Lightning press into her, nuzzling into her shoulder and smiled. She wondered whether the human was even aware of what she was doing. This place had a habit of influencing humans through the atmosphere, which was why it was so fun to bring them here and watch the corruption take hold. Still, there was a part of her that felt strange to watch the pinkette becoming susceptible to it, a feeling she attempted to dismiss the closer the human got.

"Drink your drink, Lightning. We could be in for a bit of a wait." Fang drawled, attempting to bring some awareness back to those cerulean eyes. Lightning shivered at the sound of her name, perplexed that her name sounded sexier coming from those lips than the previous annoying title of mistress. She bit her bottom lip and sat upright, saddened by the loss of warmth from being so close to the brunette. She took a gulp of the drink in front of her and immediately spluttered. Her head swam, the burn of the alcohol setting her nerve endings on fire.

"Oh, man. That is… Something." She purred, eyeing the drink suspiciously. Fang shook her head and pushed the glass away from her.

"If that's how you're reacting on one sip I think I might get you something a little less intense." She motioned for Lebreau to come over to order something else, and yelped as she felt a pale hand slip down between her legs.

"Maybe I like something a little  _more_ … Intense…" Lightning growled and crawled into her lap, straddling her waist. She ran her pale fingers through the wild locks of the demon, leaning down and capturing her with an aggressive kiss. Fang bit back a groan from the sensations, and she fought against her baser needs to just give in and take the human in the booth. She couldn't figure out which was more intoxicating, the taste of the alcohol or the woman's insistent lips.

"Lightn... Light... Come on now... Nnmmm..."

The pinkette smiled against the demon's mouth and purred. "Gods Fang, do I need to compel you to kiss me?" Despite it being worded as a question, the demon gasped as she felt the collar tighten and need flood her system. Her eyebrows crinkled in discomfort as she felt her body respond against her will, grinding into the human wrapped around her waist.

The dark-haired waitress approached, looking at the scene with an amused expression and a single raised eyebrow. "Having fun with your charge, Fang?" She jeered, her smirk faltering when she saw how uncomfortable the demon looked. Lebreau slid into the seat on the other side and clicked her fingers to get the human's attention. As Lightning broke away from Fang to face the waitress with a warning growl, she felt a hand up against her head. The pinkette immediately slumped forward onto the demon, unconscious.

"Looked like you needed a moment, love," Lebreau said, resting her chin on her hand while she watched Fang settle the pinkette in beside her. "This is new for you, normally you'd relish the attention of a pretty young human like her. What gives?"

"I… I don't know." Fang admitted breathlessly, shifting around in her seat and trying to regain her composure. With the human unconscious it allowed her to settle down a bit. "I don't know if it's this stupid binding that's messing with me… Or…" She trailed off as she watched Lightning snuggle up to her again, sleeping soundly despite the ruckus surrounding them. "We had a run in with Rosch earlier, you know? He told her about the deal, that I'll end up taking her soul once the binding is completed. She didn't care. As long as her sister was safe it meant she'd pay any price."

Lebreau's eyebrows raised and she regarded the peaceful looking human. "Her dedication... It reminds you of Vanille, doesn't it? How long has it been?"

"Too long," Fang replied with a grimace, the pain of separation still as fresh as it was when it happened. "I don't know 'Breau. It's weird. There's something rotten going on, more so than usual. An awful lot of evidence is pointing towards the fact that this whole mess looks like an inside job, and she's just being dragged along for the ride. It's… Not right."

"You think Sanctum is behind it? But why? What would they possibly gain from risking reality itself?"

"I don't know." The demon admitted, looking down at Lightning and running her fingers through the pale hair. "But she's caught up in the crossfire of it all, and I think there's a reason for it. She needs to be ready, and we don't have the time for the eons of training it takes to go up against some of the… Things downstairs. We need to talk to the Ferryman."

The pinkette murmured and nuzzled in closer, sliding an arm around Fang's waist. Lebreau watched the expression on the demon's face and pursed her lips. "Be careful Fang… You know what happened to us all the last time one of us allowed their heart to feel." The waitress closed her eyes for a moment before nodding. "Wake her up, the Ferryman will see you now. You can head out back when you're ready."

There were a few minutes after Lebreau had departed where Fang just watched the human sleep against her, and for the first time in thousands of years, she wished that things were different, and she wasn't so bound by her nature. Maybe they'll let her keep the human after it's all said and done. Maybe even turn her, or… No. The demon shook the thoughts from her mind and shifted to allow Lightning to stir. She groaned and pressed closer to Fang, before her eyes fluttered open and she sat bolt upright.

"What the hell just happened?" She said with surprising clarity, looking startled and wary of her surroundings. "What the hell was in that drink?"

Fang shook her head and got up from the booth. "The drink didn't go to your head, this place did. The longer you're here the more under the influence of the corruption you get, hence my impatience to see the Ferryman. The waitress just allowed you to have a nap for a moment, to help out. We're going to see him now, so come on."

She led the pinkette through the back corridors. They came across a pair of ornate doors, guarded by what appeared to be two huge bipedal beasts; one with the head of an ibis, and the other a head of a jackal. Lightning couldn't help but press closer at the sight of them, as the enormous demons tilted their heads to regard Fang. "Here to see the Ferryman, Yinepu." She said to the jackal-headed creature, and it nodded slowly as it pushed at the door. Fang bowed in thanks, fingers interlocked in a respectful gesture and smiled. "Thank you, Opener of the Way. May our passage be true into the realm of shadows."

The two made their way through the hallway until suddenly it opened out into an enormous hall, adorned with marble pillars and floors. The ceiling seemed to disappear into the shadows, giving it an endless feeling. The sconces on the walls lit their passage, with tiny aqueducts on either side of the path, ferrying black liquid through the hallway. Fang suddenly put a hand on Lightning's shoulder to bail her up.

"Listen Lightning, there's something I need to explain." She said, feeling uncertain. She felt the bright blue eyes on her with curious intent, and the demon swallowed hard. "We're going to be taking the Ferryman's passage once we're done with him. It'll take us to the kingdom of Pulse below. We need to… be ready."

"Fang, why are you telling me this?" the pinkette asked, growing concerned.

"It's… It's not going to be pleasant, is what I'm saying. Also, there is a risk of… Further corruption."

"I'd hardly call a trip to  _hell_ pleasant, to begin with. And,  _further_? What do you mean further?"

Fang began to pace, shoving her hands in her pockets to attempt to cease fidgeting. "Five minutes in the bar was all it took before you were crawling all over me. The longer you're around me, the more exposed you are to corruption. With what we're about to do, it's likely to make that worse. You're about to descend into  _hell_ , Lightning. A place no human has gone while the breath is still fresh in their lungs. We're going to ask the Ferryman for passage, and to provide you with the means to fight whatever we're going to face down there. There is a trade-off for that kind of power, there always is."

The pinkette stood silently for a moment, contemplative. "I knew this was always going to be a one-way trip, Fang. I already said I was prepared to pay any price. So let me pay it."

She turned on her heel and continued down the hallway, Fang staring after her. The demon ran to catch up with her as they approached the dais, a dark robed figure sitting on a throne atop it. His skeletal boned hand tapped at the armrest, almost impatient in its sound.

"It's you!" Lightning exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the figure in recognition. "You were the one who did this to me!"

Fang's eyebrows raised, her eyes darting between the two. "What's she getting at, Ferryman? You were the one who ripped the veil off the human?"

The robed figure let out a sigh and stood from the throne. "And so what if I did?"

"Come on old man, enough with the theatrics," Fang complained, all previous respectful tone she shared with the beast guarding the door out the window.

The figure chuckled and removed his hood, revealing a skeletal form. As he approached the duo, flesh started to appear on his form. He hung his robe on a nearby rack and adjusted the suit he wore underneath it. His dark skin that grew over the bones of his hand reached out and clasped Fang's arm in greeting, the black hair growing every which way, and his smiling face became bordered by a beard.

"Lightning, this is the Ferryman. Many names, like we all have. He's an old death god, Tsazcatzlroi. If you can't wrap your tongue around that though, just call the bastard Sazh."


	7. Chapter 7

Sazh beckoned them further into the hallway with a laugh and a shake of his head. Lightning reluctantly followed, feeling lost with the surreal nature of it all. He led them over to a desk and sat behind it, motioning for them to take a seat. "Always had a way with words,  _Ragnarok_." He said with an amused grin. He turned to the pinkette with an apologetic smile. "So, nice to see you making the most of the gifts I gave you, human. Come to see what it will take to unlock the heritage that lay within your flesh, hm?"

"You know that's why we're here, funny man. Enough with the messing about." Fang warned, still perplexed at the notion that he was the one responsible for starting the human on the path that had her bound. She looked back at Lightning, who wore a contemplative expression.

"So, do you know who took my sister?" she asked, not bothering to waste time on pleasantries. He shook his head, turning to rummage through a cupboard behind him.

"Afraid not. Though it's a short list as to who could have done it if Pulse doesn't know about it. Only a handful of the high guard have access to the Void outside of Pulse, and none have a reason that I can tell to go against him."

"That only leaves the upper echelon of the Sanctum, Sazh. And why would any of them care to try to destroy all the cosmos?" Fang said, brow furrowing in concern. The Ferryman nodded and made a noise of triumph as he pulled a red crystal from a case. He turned back and handed it to the human with a wistful expression.

"Sorry in advance, coffee girl, but this is going to hurt a bit."

She cradled the crystal gently, running her thumb over the crevasses as it glowed in her hands. The crystal was carved into the shape of a rose, no bigger than an apple. It suddenly floated out of her hands, startling the pinkette and exploded into tiny red shards that flitted towards her. Lightning hissed as they stabbed at her chest, Fang grimacing and tugging at the collar on her neck.

"Apologies, Ragnarok," Sazh said with a shrug, "I know part of that pact is that she can't come to harm but it's a necessary pain if she wants Zantetsuken." Fang reluctantly nodded with a wince, keeping close to the human as the crystal embedded itself into her skin. "And there are those in the Sanctum who have every motive to end life. Valhalla sits abandoned, old friend. The throne is empty and the Maker is nowhere to be found."

Fang's eyes snapped up to meet the Ferryman's in shock. "The Maker is... Gone?" she repeated, voice strained. Even after everything that happened his absence unsettled and, if she was being honest with herself, scared her.

"The Sanctum's been trying to find him, for all the good it's doing at present. It wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility that there would be some who would risk everything to try to call him back."

Lightning looked up at Sazh, clutching at her chest as the last of the crystals settled. He met her gaze with a solemn expression and nodded. "You have the memories, now the weapon. The only thing that remains is to open the gate." He moved his eyes to look at Fang with a knowing, sad smile. "You'll need a Gate Key."

The pinkette didn't miss hearing the breath that caught in Fang's throat. The demon stood and bowed slightly, before turning towards a black door just off the hallway.

"Now's as good a time as any I guess," Fang muttered, heading over to the door and waiting in front of it. Lightning stood and trailed her fingers over her chest where the crystal had embedded itself.

"It'll stop stinging in a few hours," Sazh said quietly, getting up and moving around the desk to walk her to the door. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You ready?"

"To travel through hell, rescue my sister, hopefully not start a reality ending war and damn myself in the process? Sure." The pinkette replied sardonically, making the Ferryman laugh.

"Keep an eye on that demon, Claire Farron. She's not up to her usual tricks which either means she's got something far more sinister in mind, or, she likes you. And quite frankly, I don't know which is worse."

"Quiet, old man!" Fang barked from the door, waiting impatiently. The other two approached and Sazh turned the handle, opening it to reveal a long staircase that descended into the darkness.

"The Gate Keys are exactly where they were left, Ragnarok. Good luck."

He waited until they had both started to slowly make their way down the stairs before he shook his head and closed the door. Both Fang and Lightning looked back with a heavy swallow, before continuing on. The staircase was carved out of rock, twisting and turning in the darkness, their passage lit only by the small fire dancing from Fang's fingertips.

"So, where are we likely to find these Gate Keys?" Lightning asked as they descended, piercing the silence with her query. Fang winced at the question and didn't reply at first. Lightning sighed, and scratched at her arm. She caught a surprisingly wary look from the demon, and was curious as to the thoughts that lay beyond her eyes.

Fang fidgeted and looked unsure of herself. "M... Mistress... Sorry, I mean Lightning, I..." she stammered and hung her head, pausing on the staircase.

"Fang, what is it?"

The demon looked up to find Lightning's hand gently enveloping her own unlit one, a strange caring gesture all things considered. She glanced up at the blue eyes looking at her and swallowed. "The keys aren't objects. They're  _Dynameis_. Or rather they  _were_ , before they fell with the rest of us. Now just demons like the rest of us. Gatekeepers so to speak. The Seraphim locked them up in purgatory to stop them from freeing the demigods, imprisoned them to protect the so-called balance. I..." Fang trailed off and closed her eyes. "I dare not hope..." she whispered to herself.

"I'm listening if you're willing, Fang. Please." The pinkette said, her voice quiet yet firm. She was startled by the tear that slipped down the demon's cheek, and she reached out instinctively to wipe it off with her thumb. Fang felt a little skittish from the fact that the human wasn't compelling her to tell the truth, simply asking.

"One of the gate keepers is Hecatoncheir. Or Oerba Dia Vanille. My sister. It's... Been an age since I've seen her smiling face."

Lightning's hand froze where it was on the demon's face. A sister. Even in the depths of hell it was still possible to have a family, to have someone to care about. She thought about her own situation, and how across the divide of heaven, hell and everything that lay in between, she shared something in common with a damnable denizen of Pulse's kingdom.

"Ok. So what do we need to do to get her out?" the pinkette asked bluntly, mind already made up. Fang's head snapped up at the question, eyes filled with hope for the first time in millennia. She saw the resolve in the cerulean gaze and her jaw hung low.

"But... Lightning, it's... To free her defies the Order and the Balance."

"To free my supposed power defies both, as does the abduction of my sister in the first place. For someone that is all about breaking the rules I'm amazed you'd be hesitant about this."

Fang simply gaped, somehow not able to grasp that a human would be so willing to break the Order, or that Lightning was willing to free the demon's family as well.

"Look, Fang," the pinkette said, taking her hand down the tanned jaw line to hold her gaze in place, "It would be wrong of me to ask that you help free my sister when your own still lay in chains. And if your sister can help get me to Serah, then all the more reason to help. Ok?"

The demon fell silent, hands still shaking. Lightning couldn't help taking them in her own, and watched as Fang's eyebrows raised at the gesture. "I can't begin to understand the greater complexities of the cosmos when it only was revealed to me a few weeks ago, but I can understand love for your family and that you would do just about anything to see your sister again. I don't care about their rules, and their Order. I am going to find a way to free my sister, and yours as well."

* * *

They finally reached the bottom of the stairs after what felt like hours, and Lightning was acutely aware of just how deep beneath the surface they were. She was surprised that she wasn't thirsty, or tired at that point. Jade eyes glanced over and met her own, mildly tinged with worry.

"Lightning… I… I wanted to apologise, for the things you're about to witness. Again, though you haven't been given reason to trust me, I need you to stay close and keep your wits about you. The souls in this place aren't treated with kindness for their transgressions against the Maker. It'll be… Confronting."

The human nodded and moved closer to her, surprised that she didn't feel the usual pull of desire she normally did whenever she got close. "There's no need for it, you're already here." Fang said sadly, and motioned for her to follow through the tunnel.

All the prayers, contemplative reflections and preparations in the world couldn't have prepared Lightning for what awaited her at the exit of the cave. Hot, blistering air hit her in the face, knocking the breath from her lungs. She looked up at the sky to find it a roiling green and orange, dark clouds looking more like fire above them.

They overlooked a dead forest on the edge of a black desert wasteland, the trees grey and long stripped bare from the cinders that blanketed them. Ash and fire rained from the sky, and the air buzzed from an aural commotion in the distance. If she concentrated, she could pinpoint individual noises and came to a quick conclusion that what she was hearing was screaming. Lightning fell to her knees, overwhelmed.

Fang was quick to her side, putting a clawed hand on her shoulder. The pinkette scrambled back, seeing the demon for the first time properly in her true form. Her hair flowed like flames and her skin a deep-hued blue with orange and red plates covering her body. White irises looked at her in confusion, before glancing down at her hands and jerking in shock.

"Oh. Shit. Sorry." The rasping growl rumbled from Fang's throat, and she shifted into something a little more human in appearance. "It's… Harder to keep up appearances down here when it's technically not required…" She said, feeling a little embarrassed.

Lightning's heart hammered in her chest, making her feel light headed along with the loss of fresh air. She took a few minutes staring at the tanned skin, re-aligning her perceptions with Fang's less ferocious appearance before taking the extended hand and allowed herself to be helped up.

"So… Welcome home, I guess." The demon said with an awkward shrug. She pointed off in the far distance, where spires jutted into the sky at savage angles. "We have to travel there, through the forest. That's the city of Dis, Anima's domain. There is a prison there, where the Gate Keys are kept confined and away from everyone. It's not going to be an easy run for either of us. If Anima gets wind of our plan he'll shut down the city and nobody is getting in or out. The city is on the edge of the abyss, the portal down into the lower reaches so it's our destination regardless."

It took them a good part of a day, or what passed as a day down there, in order for them to scale their way down the mountain. At one point Fang got fed up with their progress and grabbed Lightning with a growl. She flung the human around her back and grumbled at her to hold on as she returned to her demonic form. Lightning held her breath as Fang clawed her way down the mountain at a much more rapid pace, arms wrapped around the demon's neck for support. They reached the ground in a matter of minutes, the human looking up at Fang curiously as she let go of her and returned to a less terrifying form. They turned towards the ash covered forest and the demon sighed, making gestures with her fingers that made the air around her hand glow. She reached into the light and pulled out a long red staff with blades wickedly curved at both ends.

"Wow. Nice lance." Lightning remarked, eyeing it off. Fang raised an eyebrow at her and gestured to the human's chest.

"It's going to be needed, going through that bloody forest. You should be able to do this now too, with what Sazh gave you." She explained, pulling Lightning's shirt down a little to reveal a red mark that resembled a brand.

The pinkette's eyes widened as she both saw the angry looking image on her skin, and felt Fang's fingers on her as well. "Well… Didn't think this would be how I get my first tattoo…" She said with a chuckle. The demon shook her head with a smile, impressed that the human was still hanging onto her sense of humour.

"Here, I'll show you how to conjure the weapon. The crystal that the Ferryman gifted was the remnants of the glass eye of Odin so, should mean the weapon is fairly decent. The memories you took from the Archives should enable you to wield it without the decades of training required."

Fang stood behind Lightning and gently held the pinkette's wrists. She brought them up in front of them and then let go to show the gesture with her fingers. "You move your hands around like this until the light forms and reach into it. Focusing on gripping the hilt of a blade. Feel it, concentrate and then when you feel your hand close on an actual handle, just pull. I'll help with this one."

A gasp escaped Lightning's throat as Fang went back to holding her wrists. She felt a strange sensation down her arms, like water flowing over her skin. She saw the glow slowly appearing and swallowed hard, sweat appearing on her brow as she tried to focus on the instructions she was given. Her breath hitched when she felt something brush up against her hand, smooth leather and perfect grip. She wrapped her arms around it and began to pull.

"Well, that's… different…" Lightning heard Fang mutter behind her as the light got bigger, and a strange sensation enveloped them both. The light travelled up the human's arms and across her body. It was hot enough to burn, but no pain registered. The light flashed, and both of them were blown backward, hitting the ground hard with Lightning landing on top of the demon. They both stopped and stared at each other as the human got up and held out a hand to help her companion up.

"Light… What… Are you wearing?" Fang asked, jaw hung open as she blatantly stared. The pinkette looked down to find herself devoid of the jeans and button shirt she was wearing moments earlier, and instead, a strange kind of armour lay on her skin in its place. A dark brown leather plated chest piece covered her front, strapped at the back. A deep red arm guard travelled from the shoulders to the black gloves, adorned with segmented steel arrows. White canvas material draped from her back and belt, with a bright red inlay that fluttered in the acrid wind.

The human's gaze travelled to her hand, to where she still held the weapon she'd pulled out of the air and even Fang had to stifle a gasp. The curved, wicked blades looked like feathers, with the handle in the middle a perfect balance. It felt right in her hands, like she'd always held it. Lightning had a dreamy smile on her face as she moved it around, her eyes moving up to look at Fang. The smile vanished and then it was her own turn to gape at the demon, eyebrows raising slowly.

"Never mind what I'm wearing… What about you?" She queried, gesturing at the body now on display. Fang made a confused sound that died in her throat as she looked down, colour draining from her face. A brilliant blue fabric wrapped around her body, decorated in white and gold embroidered silk. It hung over one shoulder and draped across her body, highlighting her abdomen. A black crop top covered her chest beneath the material but left little to the imagination, with the blue fabric trailing down to her ankles that were now clad in shin-high sandals. The next thing Lightning noticed after taking it all in, was that Fang's hands were shaking.

"Fang are you… Alright? Is the outfit a little too fancy for you?" The pinkette asked in a warm tone. The demon shook her head, tears threatening to fall.

"This… This is… I haven't… I…" She stammered, trailing a hand along the fabric in disbelief. Lightning frowned and approached her, placing a cautious hand on her shoulder. The brunette sensed the question in the cerulean gaze and let out a shaky breath. "It's the robes of an Archangel. This was what I wore the day I… Fell. It was burnt off when I… Landed. Here."

"Oh." Lightning said meekly. So that was what a warrior angel wore. She smiled softly and tried to catch the demon's gaze. "It'll be fitting for when we rescue Vanille."

The blush that rose on Fang's cheeks was visible even with her own tanned skin. She coughed nervously and shook off the last of her awe at both of their new attire. "That crystal sure is something, and Sazh sure as hell has a sense of humour. So that weapon huh? Pretty uh, impressive."

Fang broke her lance apart and sheathed it in the loop at the back of her belt, and motioned for the human to follow her into the forest.


	8. Chapter 8

The Path twisted through gnarled, petrified trees and was silent save for the sound of their boots shuffling through the ash. It blanketed the ground and suffocated everything it covered. The demon had gone silent, scanning their surroundings with a keen eye. Lightning took to doing the same, reaching out with her mind to feel the currents around her. They were nothing like what she felt back on the surface, down here nothing was muted, it all felt sharp.

A pull on her senses drew her attention to a nearby tree that was swaying despite no wind moving through that part of the forest. She slowed up and cautiously tightened her grip on her blade. Fang seemed to pick up on her hesitancy and turned, a growl sounding low in her throat. "Fuck," she hissed, pulling her lance from her belt and snapping it together with a flick of her wrist. "I'd hoped the wood wraiths would keep their distance."

"Dressed like this, we probably stand out." Lightning drawled, swinging the blade around and twisting her wrist, separating the blades at the middle and held one in either hand. The demon's eyebrows raised at the slow grin appearing on her face. The human felt electric, like instincts woken from a long nap uncoiling within her. She knew it was the remnant of a memory, Odin possibly. He always loved battle, and that enthusiasm was dripping into her mind as the tree wraiths began to shift and loom.

One of the ash covered branches suddenly lashed out, and Lightning reacted purely on reflex, moving backwards and watching the jagged wood skim just above her face. She brought her arm around and with the blade in her hand cleaved the branch from the trunk as she slid beneath the assault. An unholy shriek filled the woods, and more creaking trees started to move.

"For the love of... We've ran into a bloody Treant nest." Fang groaned, readying her lance. "Guess we're throwing you in the deep end for a test of your abili...ties..." she trailed off, watching as the human just leapt into the fray and started slicing away at the monstrous trees. The demon was surprised at the feelings of admiration that ran through her at the sight and she shook it off, jumping in with a swing of her lance.

The three Treants that had lurched from the darkness lunged and swiped at the duo, relentlessly targeting but never hitting. Laughter escaped Fang's throat as she stabbed at the massive trunk, the wood splitting apart in a terrible scream. She looked over to watch Lightning flipping out of the way, and found a smile on the pinkette's face. The demon's own grin got wider at the knowledge that there was a little bit of battle lust hiding within Lightning. The two shared a glance and the human suddenly threw a blade at her. It spun past Fang, narrowly missing her and embedded itself into the trunk of the wood wraith behind her.

"Focus on your own ass instead of mine, Fang.." Lightning warned with a smirk on her face, satisfied that for once she was the one who had rattled the demon and not the other way around. They started to work in tandem with each other, almost in a competitive like fashion. With the last Treant slain, the duo stood back and marvelled at their handy work.

"Wow. That was... Wow. You catch on quick, sunshine." Fang said, clearly impressed. Truthfully, she was far more than impressed. That the human could integrate the abilities of her predecessors so quickly, and revel in them was nothing short of a miracle. A part of her wondered whether she would like to spar later when they weren't in such immediate peril, to really get a feel for her technique. Fang shivered at the thought, slow grin reappearing on her face.

"That was... I didn't expect it to be like that. The movements flowed as if I knew them from birth." The pinkette replied, flexing her hands once she had sheathed the blade to a clip on her back. The sword was light despite its size, and she found it was no burden to carry. "It... It felt incredible."

As she caught her breath, Lightning looked over at the demon and smiled. She'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy that fight. The adrenaline was pulsing through her system with every rapid heartbeat and she felt like she could scale back up the mountain simply by taking a run-up. She felt alive, muscles firing with a skill inherited but cherished nonetheless. As Fang stared at her with that grin, the pinkette felt a fleeting thought that she wanted to kiss it off. She frowned, unsure of where it had come from. The demon said her luring corruption would no longer affect her down here, did that mean that the feeling was real? She flinched, awaiting Fang's reaction to that thought but found nothing. "Hey," she said as she walked closer to the brunette. "You been picking up on any of my wayward thoughts since we got down here?"

"Nah, I haven't. So if you've been wanting to punch me as per usual I am none the wiser."

"I see." Lightning hummed, intrigued by the implications. Fang gestured for them to continue, and they moved on through the ashen path. Any other wood wraiths that were present kept their distance, choosing self-preservation over a quick death at the hands of these travellers. After an hour, they finally reached the end of the dead forest. The trees thinned out before disappearing before an ocean of black, tar-looking sand. Rough stone ruins poked up from the ground across the landscape, remnants of another time.

"Where there cities here before? She asked the demon who looked deep in thought, busy surveying the dunes. Fang glanced up and cleared her throat.

"There were, once," She nodded, feeling uncertain speaking of the past. "This world was abandoned when we fell, for the most part. Indigenous wildlife of horrific proportions, but whatever came before us long gone. We built what we could with the resources at our disposal, cities rose and fell as territorial disputes began to split the Fallen. These are the black wastes. Many a battle was fought here when we first fell."

There was a silhouette in the distance that looked like a mountain until it moved. It took a long time of staring to convince herself that it wasn't a mirage or the hellish place playing tricks on her mind. A low chuckle sounded from next to her and she found Fang staring off in the same direction.

"That is exactly what you think it is, Sunshine. That would be Titan. These dunes belong to him these days. He's bigger in person." She purred, not able to resist the joke despite their surroundings. Somehow this place felt less horrifying with the human in tow, though she knew the closer they got to the city that would change.

They began to make their way across the dark dunes in silence, the wind bringing occasional wisps of screams from the city well beyond them. Lightning was watching the demon out of the corner of her eye, who seemed to be increasingly distracted by the blue fabric on her form. "Is everything alright, Fang?" She asked, the brunette's head snapping up with a start.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. Was uh… Just thinking of the last time I wore this."

"I'm curious as to… What happened with the war. If you feel up to talking about it of course."

Fang's jaw tightened before she slumped her shoulders with a heavy sigh, fixing the lance back onto her belt. She glanced up at the fiery sky above them and swallowed hard. "It was love. Love was what freed us, and ultimately doomed us. Pulse… He fell for Etro, and for a time they were lovers. They hid their relationship as it was forbidden by the Maker. When he found out he… Killed her. Spilt her blood, which in her dying breaths she used it to create the humans."

Lightning stared at Fang, aghast at the story. "So the Maker in his divine wisdom sought to punish Pulse for simply loving another that wasn't in reverence of him. That's… I can't even begin to contemplate how messed up that is."

The demon laughed, though the sound was a little bitter. "You've got that right. The Maker had a lot of rules, all of which were focused on him. He himself was distraught over his actions towards Etro, therefore couldn't bring himself to end the humans she'd created. He could see her heart in every chest so let them live as they were. Pulse was driven to madness in his grief, that the Maker and the Sanctum just wanted to sweep it under the rug and get back to prayers and songs. He wanted us to have the right to feel, to make our own destiny, to not be a slave to the behest of a jealous God. So, he rebelled. Many of us took up arms with him, as we believed his message." She paused with a sigh, gesturing to the lands around them. "Who knew it would land us here."

"Anyone who seeks to defy the Maker will find only oblivion." A booming voice roared across the plains, causing both women to cover their ears. Fang growled at the towering being in the distance and gave a somewhat disrespectful gesture in reply.

"Fuck off, Titan, you're down here with the rest of us aren't you?" She yelled back, annoyed with the interruption. An enormous hand rose from the dunes and reached for them, scooping them up before they could even react. Lightning wobbled on her feet and the demon grabbed her, holding her close as they moved rapidly closer to the mountain-sized face of the giant.

"In the end, we are all slaves to his will." He boomed, the sound rattling their brains in their skulls. Lightning tightened her grip on her weapon and Fang tightened her hold on her with a pointed glance. Now was not the time to be getting violent. And where would they even begin?

"What do you want, big guy? We're kind of in a rush." The demon said, cautiously eyeing off the boulder-sized tips of his fingers encroaching on their space in his hand. Titan tilted his head back and laughed, his motion shaking the land around them.

"Ragnarok... Rejecter of The Order... You risk much bringing a human into these parts..."

Lightning looked over the enormous figure dwarfing them in his sheer size. The skyscrapers over in Eden couldn't even contend with his mass. "So, you're the Titan from the Scriptures..." she whispered to herself. For all her diminutive size in comparison to the giant, he still heard her and laughed once again. He brought his hand up to his face and stared at them both.

"Such tiny things that hold all reality in the balance," he mused, "but tell me, surface dweller, what stories do they sing of my creation?"

The pinkette looked uneasily at Fang and scratched at her neck. From memory, the Scriptures spoke of how Titan was a demon of old, that the Maker struck down and cast into hell to make way for the humans. But given the recent revelations, she doubted they were true.

"They... Aren't very flattering I'm afraid. The stories paint you as a demon that sought to destroy the cosmos before the Maker stepped in and cast you into the void. A story of which," she added hastily, seeing the massive expression darken, "is likely steeped in the lies of the Maker. If you will permit me to indulge, I would be honoured if you would share your glory." Lightning paused at her own words, spying the disbelieving look on the demon's face.

_Where the hell did you pull that from, you suck up?_

The thought rang clear as day in the human's mind, and she glared at Fang in response, knowing she was the origin. Titan hummed, approving of the respectful tone.

"I like this one, Ragnarok. She is mindful of the true creators."

Lightning turned, confused by his statement. "True creators?"

"Bah. Of course, the  _Maker_  destroys the word of the world. He made nothing. It was we, the Fal'Cie of old that built this world. I made the mountains. Leviathan made the seas. Shiva, the ice wind that brings the cycle of the seasons. Raiden, the lightning that brought the storms. Hm. You hold a piece of the storm within you, tiny human."

Lightning glanced back at Titan with a frown, choosing to ignore the implications of his words about herself. At least, for now. "So where does the Maker fit into this?"

"The  _Maker_... Bhunivelze was the first of those that came after us. We allowed him to flourish, nurtured him as he was ours. He grew in strength and ambition. He merely took our creation by conquest and deceit."

The revelation was astounding. Civilizations rose and fell because of the Maker. Wars fought. Lands invaded. Laws were made, people discriminated against, harmed, killed, all for a lie. A jealous God. A jealous, absent God, who bred just as much jealousy and dependency in his own subjects until they either submitted or rebelled and were cast out.

"Titan, what is the purpose of this place?" Lightning asked, wary of the answer.

"Punishment," Fang interjected with a bitter snap of her jaws. The giant laughed, sound equally as bitter and shook his massive head.

"No. Servitude."

The demon's head snapped up towards his crater-sized, black eyes and glared. He just continued to laugh as he slowly turned in his spot, twisting his body towards the direction of the city. "Ragnarok, still so blinded by your fury from your fall from grace? You were sent here as an example. Along with the others. Along with us. The other Fal'Cie. The humans themselves. Prostrate yourself before Bhunivelze, or face his wrath. Even here you and the other demons blindly follow his word, to punish those who go against  _the Maker_." He replied, drawling out the name sardonically.

Fang suddenly went silent, her gaze distant. Lightning followed her line of sight to the city that was slowly growing closer. The human realised that Titan was helping them, in a way. She placed her hand on his thumb, feeling small and insignificant in the grand scale of a knuckle that was the size of a city bus. "Why are you helping us?" She whispered to herself, not expecting him to hear, let alone answer.

"I hear everything, child of Etro. And I help you because I grow weary of these wastelands. This endless conflict. If heralding the end either brings balance or oblivion, either way, I finally find peace."

It still took a few hours of agonisingly slow movement from Titan, with him so deeply encased in the black dunes. The two women sat quietly, Fang sitting on the edge of his hand, one leg dangling over the edge while the other lay stretched out in a small corner of his palm. Lightning sat opposite, leaning back in the crook of his index finger. Their eyes met and the demon sighed, tilting her head back to regard the giant.

"Hey, big guy," She called out, drawing his attention down to her. "You hear all things, you hear anything about the human trapped in the void, or the fact that Bhunivelze's taken a walk and nobody knows where he is?"

A broad smile crossed his face that would have been the size of the river that ran through Eden. He nodded, slowly, turning his head towards the horizon. "I have. I saw the light of their sanctimonious fire when they brought the human here. Pulse holds onto the human now. He holds onto a great many things."

"Shit, so Sanctum was responsible for kidnapping her sister…" The demon muttered, her eyes darting to the set jaw on Lightning's face. "Wait, so what's their end game here? How does this all fit in?"

Lightning stood slowly, moving over to where the brunette was seated. Titan considered his words with a low hum that made the dunes shift beneath him. "If Pulse will not see reason, the only way you will free your sister is by force. Sanctum is counting on this. The fallen Lord still has her Heart."

Fang stood and began pacing, her concern rapidly growing at the implications. She knew Pulse. She knew how much rage and despair he held over the war. Shouldering all the responsibility of the Fallen. Taking all the anger he cast at his Maker and building this seemingly endless dungeon for all of the souls not befitting Bhunivelze's "standards". His former choirs, the humans… Were they all just pawns mindlessly still subject to the Maker's will? Did Pulse even realise that?

If  _He_  was no longer presiding over creation and had vanished, what did that mean for their roles? Their tasks of collecting the souls of the humans who fell to temptation? Were they not still just doing Bunivelze's work in the end, a way of removing his memory of Etro from the world? There were many things she needed to discuss when they inevitably ran into Pulse, if he didn't kill them first.

"Surrender not to despair. The future of life's cycle goes with you." Titan's voice rumbled, interrupting her musings as his hand finally began to descend. "This is far as I take you. Any further and Anima will see. There are caves to the east near the city, go to them before the Thrones pass their eye over these parts. I will be watching, Ragnarok. With great interest."

Fang patted the side of his thumb in a gesture of gratitude, and Lightning bowed slightly in her own thanks. They jumped down off his hands and looked towards the cliffs where he had directed them. "Come on, Light." The demon said, beginning to move away. "We'll need to move quickly, there won't be a lot of time. The Thrones are what counts as 'daylight' down here. One great big burning white eye as bright as the sun that draws its gaze over the lands, make sure nobody's plotting Sanctum's demise, everyone's still miserable, yadda yadda."

"Why does everyone keep telling us to  _avoid their gaze_?" Lightning asked, quickening her pace to keep up with the demon. Fang narrowed her eyes and flung her arm out, a large fireball bursting forth and frying a nearby beast before it had a chance to even make a move towards them. They moved past the charred mass of flesh and both women wrinkled their noses at the smell.

"Because a human doesn't belong in Hell. Worst case scenario they're in on all the Sanctum's bullshit and will try to destroy us at first glance. Best case is they're not, and will still try to destroy us at first glance because nothing can 'Risk the balance'. The ever-watchful gaze of the wardens." The demon scoffed, coming up onto one of the caves, it's jagged opening looming before them. They stuck their head inside, lightning up a fire from her fingertips to inspect the cave. It was blissfully silent, the tunnel stretching deep beneath the surface and away from the ambient noise of suffering from outside. The lands outside began to get brighter, and Fang pulled Lightning deeper into the cave. "Come on. Looks like we're stuck here for a few hours. Let's keep our distance."

"Are we likely to find anything down here with us?" The pinkette asked, obviously concerned about the darkness they were heading into. Fang chuckled and unhooked the lance from her belt, moving the flame to the tip of the weapon. It flickered and danced along the blade, serving as a torch as they moved through the cave.

"Probably. But these look like tunnels carved out by Atomos, so there won't be a lot of hellbeasts that haven't been crushed by him rolling through. Hold this." She passed her lance to the human and started to climb up the stone into a small alcove. Fang reached her hand down and helped Lightning up, pulling her into the small space with her. After a bit of awkward shuffling, they managed to get themselves into a tightknit but reasonably comfortable position side by side. They sat in silence for a while, listening to the far-off rumble from deep within the surface.

Lightning gave the demon a once-over in her peripherals, seeing the strained expression and feeling a little bit of sympathy for her position. "Hey, you ok?" She asked, watching the jade eyes snap towards her. Fang gave a lop-sided grin and a lazy salute.

"Just fine, Sunshine," She replied, withholding a ragged breath from exhaustion. A dark eyebrow raised at the human shifting around, pulling her tanned arm up and around her as she settled in against Fang's shoulder. "You uh, right there?"

"We're in a tight spot and this is more comfortable. Don't read into it." Lightning chastised as she suppressed the need to nuzzle closer. Despite that, Fang reached up and started running her fingers through the pink hair resting against her, nails trailing along the human's scalp. "So… Looks like I'm not the only one having their worldviews turned on their head lately…" She continued a little quieter, smiling at the amused scoff coming from above her.

"That's certainly one way of putting it," Fang drawled with a roll of her eyes. Her arm dropped and wrapped back around Lightning's waist, pulling her closer. She scowled at the raised eyebrow she was now getting in return and shook her head. "I don't want you slipping off and falling into the path of Atomos.  _Don't read into it._ " Suddenly the human snorted and began laughing, Fang unable to help join in.

"You're alright, for a demon."

"And you're pretty ok, for a human. I guess."

This time, Fang felt the pinkette press in closer and tightened her hold, stroking her thumb along the gaps in the armour on her side. She often had fantasized about the human in the months she watched her at the cafe, but not in the crude ways she'd poked fun at earlier in the piece. Just stupid, mundane things. Asking her out and having her say yes. Going for dinner. A walk through a park that didn't involve an interruption from a stuck-up Cherubim. Sitting on a couch with a book while it pelted down rain outside. Falling asleep with her. In a different life, perhaps.

"You uh, you're really coming into your boots there, Light," She whispered, not trusting her voice to be any louder. "The way you fought earlier, it was amazing." Lightning simply hummed from her spot and curled up a little more against Fang's shoulder. "Rest for a bit, I'll keep watch. It'll be a few hours before we can move again. This is probably going to be the last bit of peace we'll get."

The human frowned but ultimately gave in, the exhaustion feeling more emotional than it was physical. Even though she was in the arms of a demon destined to own her soul, as her eyes slid closed she couldn't bring herself to care.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN - Mild content warning about the... somewhat visceral descriptiveness forthcoming. They're in hell. Though honestly you've come this far, may as well keep going.

"So, tell me about the city of Dis?" Lightning asked, remaining close to the demon as they left the caves and moved in the direction of the shadowy spires in the distance. If she looked back, she could see the silhouette of Titan through the haze and hoped that there were more amicable types like him in this place.

The demon winced and scratched at her arm as they walked. "What's there to tell? It's run by Anima, who is a sick son of a bitch. Streets run red with blood, screams of the damned, et cetera. He revels in suffering, his mind well beyond the point of sanity at this stage. There isn't so much the torture of souls like the circles below, but those are brought to the city and used as collateral, construction, fodder all the same."

They moved in silence towards the city, its grey walls growing larger and more ominous on their approach. Fang grunted and pressed her hand against her head, fiery lines beginning to appear along her skin like molten cracks. Lightning took a few steps back to give the demon space and bit her lip in worry. "Sorry, Light. I don't mean to… It's harder to maintain the ol' visually appealing repertoire."

"Don't force yourself if it's causing you pain, its ok."

The brunette breathed a sigh of relief and arched her spine, massive shredded wings unfolding behind her. Blue and orange, like the rest of her demonic form. Two large black horns protruded from either side of her head, and a long tail snaked around her body. It wasn't quite the full demonic apparition that Lightning was expecting, but it was enough for her to pause and stare. Fang fidgeted under the scrutiny, feeling oddly self-conscious.

"S…Sorry…" She muttered quietly, not wanting to give the human any reminders of what awaited her when this was all over.

"It's… It's ok. The uh… The wings… Really bring out your eyes?"

That was enough to break the climbing levels of uncomfortability as Fang placed her hands on her hips and laughed. The pinkette shrugged it off, only moderately disturbed by the notion that she wasn't nearly  _as_  disturbed by her appearance as she thought she'd be. Maybe this place was already getting to her, to still find a half-formed demon attractive. Still, there were certainly worse things in a place like this to find.

They continued on, Fang idly moving her tail about as they got to the outer borders of the city. She suddenly turned to the human and took her face in her hands. "I… I'm sorry about this. What you're about to see. Just… Stay close ok? I'm not going to let you come to harm." The pained expression on her face spoke volumes of what Lightning was about to witness in the city and steeled herself against the horrors they were about to face.

The sounds were clearly recognisable now, the constant drone of wailing piercing the air. From a distance, it looked like a black river flowed from the city gates, but the closer they got Lightning realised that it wasn't water, but blood. The grey city walls had a strange texture to them, looking more like sagging, decaying flesh than any kind of stone.

Fang took her by the hand and she gripped it tightly, reluctantly allowing herself to be pulled into the city gates. The stone pathways were black with congealed blood and twisted through buildings built from skin and bone. Bodies littered the streets, and she realised with a horrified expression that they were all still "alive", in a sense, with arms or legs or both torn off, their torsos used as decorative ornaments on buildings, or merely trash by the wayside for lesser demons to torture.

For the first time, the human faltered in her resolve, the full weight of her decision feeling like it was crushing her. Was this the fate that awaited her once her sister was freed? Just another broken, limbless body screaming in the street? Naked and bloodied, despairing for a salvation that would never come? She felt herself being dragged into a small alleyway between two buildings and brought herself back to her senses. There would be time to freak out later.

Turning towards her, the demon drew a shaky breath and flicked her wrist slowly, claws and coloured skin starting to become visible. "We… We're going to need to… Sorry." She trailed off as more of her hellish appearance came into view. Lightning looked down at her own hands and gasped, seeing claws where there should have been fingers. She looked like one of the wraiths she'd seen patrolling the streets along the city walls.

"It's ok, it's just an illusion. The lesser demons won't notice you in this form. As soon as we're out of here, I'll change you back. Ok?" Fang assured, though the fact that she was attempting words of comfort through the form of Ragnarok gave Lightning little to no relief.

They moved out into the streets again, the demon excruciatingly silent as Lightning observed the surroundings. It was hard to marry up the slow, creeping warmth she'd been receiving from Fang with the true gruesome horror of this place. "You don't… Live here… Do you?" she whispered, the demon's sharp hearing catching both the question and the quiver in her voice.

"No. I spend most of my time on the surface. If I'm down here I'm out in the wastes with Titan. I don't… I can't be this close to Vanille and be unable to see her." Fang replied, before her expression grew hard and she gestured at the streets around them. "Besides, there are those who have taken to The Fall with a little  _too_  much enthusiasm. This entire place and everything it represents makes me sick."

Lightning frowned and turned slightly to regard the demon. "You seem to have taken to it well enough." Fang immediately tensed and pushed her off the street, into an empty building. She towered over the pinkette and had to hunch down a little to speak.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She hissed, rage growing far more quickly in her current form. Lightning folded her arms and stood back, attempting to not be intimidated.

"The first night the veil was ripped from my eyes you were manipulating me, attempting to corrupt me and take my soul. A soul that would be brought here, to this insane place. A soul that would be made to suffer in agony for eternity. Or did you think I conveniently forgot about that just because you've been amicable towards me?"

Fang's jaw immediately snapped shut, unable to form a retort worthy of significance. She knew the human was right, and she turned away with a slump of her shoulders. "I know." The demon whispered, clenching her fist until her claws pierced her palm. "I have been so lost… It was the only thing that gave me any sense of purpose. Such as it was. I've spent centuries not sleeping, millennia not hoping that anything would be any better from my transgressions. This was the result, my punishment for daring go against the Maker. I blindly followed him since I first came into being, and then have been blindly following Pulse since the Fall."

She paused, taking a shuddering breath and hung her head. "Not that the word of a demon is worth much for the taking, but I am sorry for what I did."

Lightning stepped forward and took her hand, slowly prying the claws from her skin. She ran her fingers over the back of the blue hand, drawing Fang's gaze down as she spied her human skin appearing where the pinkette had touched her.

"The word of a demon isn't worth much. But I will take yours."

"Light…" Fang whispered, staring down at her hand as the wounds closed and the hellish skin reappeared. Her eyes betrayed her otherwise blank face, tears stinging at them and something hidden in the white irises that looked like hope. Lightning bowed her head, looking back towards the entryway.

"We should probably keep going."

* * *

"There." Fang said bluntly, pointing a clawed finger at an enormous gate made of long sinew and bone. "That's where Vanille is kept."

Lightning considered the structure with a churning stomach, trying to not lose her composure over such a horrid build. "So, what's the plan? Charge in through the front door?" She asked, wondering where in this mirage Fang had created her sword was stashed. It was strange to see the demonic limbs in her peripherals or the look of her clawed hands. She hoped that there weren't any mirrors in hell, lest she drop dead of terror. Though she was surprised she hadn't already, if she was being honest.

Fang shook her head and nodded towards the guards. "We're going in through the front door, but no charging. The demon form you're in will pass for one of the guards, when they change over shortly." She explained, shifting her appearance to match the human's. Lightning immediately regretted looking, as now she didn't need a mirror to know what she looked like. The large black eyes in a sunken head, lips melted away to reveal impossibly long sharp teeth, skin looking closer to leather. She shuddered with revulsion and looked away.

"Think we can switch back to something more… Visually appealing after this?" Lightning asked, hearing a small chuckle from Fang in response.

"Darlin', with pleasure and not a moment longer than necessary. I hate these friggin' things. Nothing but mindless thralls with gnashing teeth."

They fell into step behind the ambling group of lesser demons who were moving towards the building. Lightning watched as Fang leant forward, her gait matching the group around them. The human mimicked the movements, feeling simultaneously ridiculous and terrified at the same time. The giant gate suddenly groaned as it rose and she suppressed a wince at the sight of bodies strewn amongst the bone.

The group passed underneath and marched into the building, beginning to split up to go to their assigned posts. "What now?" Lightning whispered, stepping close to Fang. They ducked into an alcove shrouded in darkness and she breathed a sigh of relief as her human form was returned to her. "Aren't we going to stick out like this?" She asked, looking at the demon returning to her own, raven-haired appearance.

Fang shrugged and pulled out her lance with a growl low in her throat. "Don't really care at this point. We're here now, once we're inside the gates it's all up hill from here. Now. Do you remember, back at Dahaka's shop? Finding the book?"

Lightning nodded, though her mind wandered more towards the feeling of Fang wrapped around her while their hands wandered along the bookshelves.

"Same principle then. She's a key, and you've got a lock. You're going to be drawn to her. So just close your eyes, attempt to relax. Focus on the pull, and reach out like we've been working on."

The pinkette did as instructed, and she swore she could see the faintest flicker of light behind her eyelids. "Beneath us. Far. Beneath us."

"Right then. Stairs are nearby." Fang replied, her hands shaking. This was the closest she'd been to her sibling in an age and like hell was anything getting between them now. The duo crept down the hallways and descended the spiralling staircase, the air around them growing more damp and cold the further down they travelled. Any of the lesser demons that they ran into were dispatched with a rapid flurry of the bladed lance, Fang unwilling to let them even get off a screech of warning.

The hallway at the base of the staircase was in complete darkness, and the brunette once again allowed flames to dance amongst her fingertips to give them some form of light. It seemed that nobody came down this far, the  _Dynameis_ long since forgotten by the realms above and below. The corridor seemed endless, with hundreds of doors lining the walls.

"Ok… Right. This is… Hm." Fang trailed off, trying to figure out how to find the right door, cutting short of blowing them all of their hinges. "Light, come here a second." She turned and placed her hands on either side of the human's face, touching the temples with her index fingers. Tapping into her sight, the demon searched the strands of light, dim behind the doors until she found the familiar one she was looking for. "There. Focus on that one." Fang said, her voice catching in her throat.

Hurrying down the dark passage, they finally came to the cell door they were looking for, black iron and seemingly no handle to grasp. The demon held her hand against the door, only to reel back in pain. Her skin sizzled, and she growled at the barrier. "I can't be this close to fail now…" She whispered.

Lightning nudged her out of the way and took her hand to the door, the ring on her finger feeling hot against her skin beneath the glove. The door buckled as she touched it, and with a grin she removed her blade and slashed at the door, cleaving it from the wall. Fang stared in disbelief before shaking it off and rushing inside. She moved the flame to her lance and handed it over to the human, her steps becoming staggered as she moved towards the figure prone on the floor.

Shackled in a kneeling position, arms strung over her head, the frail body was immobile and the sight forced a choked sob from the demon. She fell to her knees and took the small face in her hands, the skin gaunt and eyes white from blindness.

"Oh, Vanille.." She whispered, tears falling freely from her face. Lightning was pained to see the two reunited in such circumstances. A rasp from the bound woman drew both their gazes down, the body suddenly inhaling harshly like it was the first breath she'd taken in eons.

"…F…Fff…" dry, sunken lips tried to wrap around words but it was to no avail. Fang growled and ripped the chains from the wall, picking up the feeble body in her arms.

"It's ok. I'm here 'Nille. Don't try to talk. We're getting you out of here, ok?" Fang croaked, her heart both elated and broken at the sight of her sister.

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'd prefer you stay here." A voice called out from behind them. Lightning turned to find a very familiar and unwelcome presence in the doorway.

"If my apartment was beneath your standing I'd hate to think what your thoughts on hell are, Jihl." The pinkette growled, gripping the hilt of her sword.

The Seraphim smirked at the accusation with an arrogant laugh. "Well, you're certainly not wrong, Claire Farron." She jeered, stepping into her space. When she spied the human's weapon her expression faltered, glaring at the shorter woman in front of her. "So, the rumours really are true. You're trying to unlock the seal on your soul. I wondered what his game was, taking your sister. Now I know."

"Whose game, the Maker?" Fang asked, enraged at the angel's presence and feeling helpless with Vanille in her arms. The smaller demon whimpered and nestled in closer, her red hair faded and clothing disintegrated from the millennia spent in chains.

Jihl merely laughed. "That's why we took your mistress' sister in the first place. Nobody knows where the Maker  _is_ , Yun of the Dominatio." She sneered, delighting in the darkening expression on the brunette's face.

Fang snarled and her human visage began to drop, once more revealing her demonic form. "Haven't gone by that name since I had to put up with your smug face on a regular basis, Nabaat of the Saraf." She spat, clutching Vanille closer to her. Jihl gave her a once over and her eyebrows rose.

"My, how far we do fall indeed, Yun. No matter, I will deal with you and then it will be back to the task at hand."

Lightning stepped into her line of sight, brandishing her blade and keeping herself between the angel and the demon. The blonde merely laughed and pursed her lips at the gesture. "Well, this  _is_  fascinating. The human protecting the demon set to own her soul. Did you not see the mess in the streets outside? The gore? That'll be you when the demon is finished with you."

The human merely tightened her grip on the hilt, baring her teeth at the Seraphim. Jihl rolled her eyes and in a flash whipped out her hand, a long thin blade appearing out of nowhere. A sharp pain suddenly hit Lightning's gut, and she toppled forward to her knees. She looked down to find blood pouring from her abdomen to the ground, and Fang cried out behind her in pain as the collar burnt at her throat.

"You're not a demigod yet, Claire." Jihl snapped, her wide wings spreading wide in an attempt to crowd the space. "So if I end you here and now, then no more problem for the Sanctum."

"Get the hell away from her, bitch!" Fang roared, leaping for the angel after placing Vanille down. Her claws outstretched, slashing at the blonde in the face. Nabaat fell back with a scream and staggered into the hallway.

"This place will be your tomb!" She screeched, the iron door clamping back over the opening and sealing it shut with molten lead. The demon roared in anger at the seraph, the tiniest skerrick of white light through a crack in the door her only evidence that Jihl had vanished. Suddenly she spun around and raced over to the pinkette, currently leant up against the cell wall while bleeding out.

"No no no… I can't get this close only to lose you now…" Fang whimpered, trying to apply pressure to the wound as the collar tightened further around her neck. Lightning placed a bloodied hand over hers, with a sad smile on her face.

"It's ok, Fang. We tried. I think… I think I'd like to rest a while, if that's ok."

The demon bundled her up closer, hands cupping her face. "No, Light you gotta stay awake. Please…"

"Turn her." A harsh whisper came from behind them, Vanille crawling forward on shaking limbs. "Turn…. Her… Or she dies. And so… Do you..."

Lightning looked up at the frail redhead and then turned her gaze towards the demon. "Is that true?" Fang looked distraught but nodded slowly.

"I didn't… I didn't want this to be the cost of freeing Vanille." She sobbed, resting her head on the human's.

"I said… I was prepared to pay… Any price." Lightning replied, placing her hand on the demon's face. "Whatever you need to do… Do it."

Fang wasn't subtle about the cry that cut from her throat and placed a shaking hand over the human's eyes. She saw a few wayward tears sliding down the pale face from underneath her fingers, and she placed her other free hand on her chest. Whispering a few broken words in a tongue unknown to any human, the demon's hands began to burn.

Lightning opened her eyes to find herself standing back in the void, surrounded by black ice. She looked up to find her sister encased in the frozen tomb, her expression fixed in horror as her eyes darted over her form. As the pinkette stepped closer, she held up a clawed hand against the ice and stared. Her gaze travelled along her arm and then back up to her sister, seeing the faintest of reflections in the ice. She was all fangs, horns and claws, her eyes yellow and filled with the fires of hell.

She gasped and reeled back, arms flailing in the air as Fang caught her. "You're alright, you're alright. Come back to me now, Light. Please…" The demon whispered, holding her close. The pinkette clutched at her stomach, to find the wound gone, all evidence vanished beyond the blood everywhere. She felt strangely hollow, like she'd carried a piece of the void back with her in her chest. Checking her hands, they still looked human, and she ran her hands over her face to find no horns or anything out of place.

"I'm… I'm still me?" She queried, looking at Fang in confusion. The demon smiled sadly, letting her grip loosen a little so as not to crowd her.

"For the most part. We brought you back enough for Vanille to do what she could. Do you… Feel any different?" She asked, helping the human to her feet and casting an uncertain gaze over her form.

Lightning frowned and flexed her hands. She  _did_ feel different. When she wasn't focusing on the strange feeling in her chest, she realised she felt stronger. Lighter. Faster. Taller even, though she knew her height hadn't changed. "Yeah. Yeah I do." She replied slowly, glancing down at the small redhead still curled up on the floor. "Is she ok?"

Fang nodded, running her fingers through her own hair with an exhale. "Yeah. I mean, no, not really, her body is weak and she's probably gone mad from thousands of years' worth of isolation but… We'll have to see. Have to focus on getting out of here first." She said, staring at the door with a disapproving scowl.

The pinkette followed her line of sight, a slow smile appearing on her face. "We're getting out of here, Fang. We're going to make some noise." She said menacingly, electricity suddenly dancing from her fingertips as she clenched her hands into fists. The demon's eyebrows raised and she took a few cautious steps back, picking up Vanille and keeping her close.

An explosion shook the shadowed halls as the door blew off its hinges, slamming into the wall adjacent. Lightning moved into the corridor, running her hands along the wall and letting the voltage burn the seals from the cell doors.

Fang stared in shock as she watched the doors start to fall to the ground in the human's- no, not human anymore- the demigod's wake. "Light, what are you…?" She trailed off as she saw a  _Dynameis_ crawl from the doorway and stand on shaking legs. "Light, you're releasing them? But the balance-"

"Fuck the balance." Lightning growled, releasing every last one from their chains. "Does it look like the Sanctum give a damn about the balance when it's them that seek to end it?"

Conceding the point, Fang merely bowed her head and followed, carrying Vanille out of the prison.  _Dynameis_ of varied states and appearances began to wander out from the darkness, weakly ambling along the corridor.

A lesser demon appeared at the end of the hall with an outraged screech but didn't get the chance to do anything further as Lightning removed its head from its shoulders in one quick swipe of her blade. Blood poured from the wound and one of the frail escapees dropped to the ground, running its hands through the mess. A long, rasping groan erupted from its throat as it tasted the blood, and the other  _Dynameis_ staggered forward to join its fellow friend. Vanille began to weakly struggle in the brunette's arms, trying to follow in her comrades' footsteps.

Fang grimaced and bit into her own wrist, drawing blood. Lightning glanced back at the hiss of pain and watched as the demon pressed her wrist up against Vanille's mouth. "Easy 'Nille, for Etro's sake…" She complained as she kept moving, seeing the colour slowly begin to return to her sister's face. She caught the pinkette's glance in her direction and felt embarrassed. "Sorry. Like a lot of Fallen, they subside off the life force of others. Souls of humans, or the blood of demons. Or angels, if they can get their hands on them."

Lightning hummed, picturing Nabaat getting torn apart by demons. It certainly made her feel better given her position. There was little time to ponder on the nature of the strange limbo she now found herself in, not while she was still stuck in the confines of hell. They burst into the courtyard and made for the gates, while a warning horn blared from the spires.

Lesser demons began to pour from the structures, armed to the teeth and screeching. The sound they made was somewhere between outrage and fear. Nobody had seen any of the corrupted  _Dynameis_ for millennia, and now they were all staggering their way out of the dungeons, strength gradually returning the more they fed on the demons.

Vanille was strong enough to stand on her own now, having fed substantially off her sister. Fang looked a little paler for the experience, and swayed a little on her feet. Lightning rushed back and caught her as she fell forward, glaring at the closed gates as if her rage could bring them down. The redhead gripped her arm and she glanced down, seeing the bright green eyes gazing up at her with a mixture of curiousity and concern.

Suddenly the compound began to get brighter, and they both looked up to see the burning eye of the Thrones ascending in the sky. "We've got to leave." Vanille said simply and snapped her fingers. A bright light blinded the pinkette and she flinched, bringing her arm up to her face. She stared in confusion as she lowered her arms, her eyes not finding the gruesome landscape but the dark cave they had been hiding in earlier. Fang groaned from her spot in Lightning's arms and she tentatively helped the demon over to the alcove, out of the way of any beasts.

"How did we get… Here?" She asked the redhead who was busy staring at her hands. "Did you do this?"

"Mhm!" Vanille replied with a grin, twirling in her place. "Wow! Movement feels strange after so long. Feels like I've been encased like a statue for centuries. This is… This is…" She trailed off, promptly collapsing on the ground. Lightning worried her bottom lip and picked Fang up in her arms like she weighed nothing at all, carrying her to the small hiding place in the tunnel. She then climbed back down to fetch the smaller redhead, laying her down beside her sibling.

Lightning smiled wistfully as Vanille immediately rolled over into Fang, and the brunette wrapped her arms around her despite being out cold. She jumped back to the main tunnel to keep watch, blade in hand. Finally letting the events of the last few days catch up with her, she slid down to the cave floor and sobbed.

So distraught, she didn't hear the sound of someone slipping down the rock and the quiet footsteps padding over to her. Only registering there was someone else there with her when she felt strong arms wrap around her as Fang picked her up and took to the alcove. Lightning threw her arms around her neck and cried as the demon held her close, whispering apologies repeatedly in her ear.

* * *

Fang hadn't even realised she'd drifted off to sleep. The combination of sheer exhaustion, blood loss and an emotionally raw human clinging to her must have overdone it for her. Her eyes slowly opened as she reluctantly braced herself for the pain. Instead of the weight of her transgressions being the first thing to greet her, there was a rather physical weight keeping her pinned to the floor. She glanced down to find Lightning curled up against her chest, fast asleep in the crook of her neck.

Running her fingers through the pink hair, she allowed herself a moment to indulge in the sensations of just sitting there, with the human wrapped around her. The collar wasn't even a bother at this point, and she hadn't noticed it for days, beyond the earlier life-threatening choking. Her lungs didn't burn, there were no overwhelming feelings of loss, just... Warmth. For once she wasn't wallowing in despair, that hollow void where her heart should be not present. Even in a place like Hell. Instead, she felt it beating in her chest and pick up the pace as Lightning nuzzled in closer with a tiny murmur. This, Fang could get used to.

She smiled warmly down at the human in her arms, and then slowly cast her eyes about their surroundings. As soon as she tilted her head up, she was met with Vanille crouched in front of them, her head resting on her hands with an intense stare.

"Etro's fucking Gate, Vanille!" The demon yelped, practically jumping out of her skin. The sudden jerk woke Lightning with a start, and for a moment she sat stock still as she realised exactly where she'd fallen asleep. She glanced up at Fang, who was busy glaring at her sister.

"Hello!" The redhead cheered, seemingly oblivious to the precarious position the two women were tangled in. Lightning carefully extracted herself with a stretch, Fang's eyes immediately raking over her form. "My sister likes you." Vanille said with a tilt of her head. Lightning clamped her jaw shut mid-yawn and then promptly ceased her stretching with a blush.

Fang rolled her eyes and helped the pinkette up, turning back to give her sibling a once-over. "You seem… Not entirely insane?" Vanille simply shrugged and jumped down from the alcove.

"No more than usual," She replied with a hum. "It wasn't meant to be suffering for us quite like what they did to you and the rest. Just confinement. I was sleeping. Dreaming, mostly."

Lightning slipped down from the alcove and into the tunnel below, leaving the siblings to their conversation. She wandered down the tunnel, not having any particular direction in mind, especially not knowing where to go. Mindful of whatever Atomos was, the pinkette kept to the edges of the tunnel, blade in hand and not straying too far from the others. She wasn't sure what not having a soul was meant to feel like, whether the strength she could feel surging through her was because of whatever Vanille did to her, or, Lightning pondered with a hard swallow, whatever Fang did.

She looked down at her hands and swore the colour of her skin looked the slightest shade of grey. A wave of dizziness overwhelmed her and she dropped to her knees with a grunt of pain. Fang and Vanille suddenly appeared beside her in a blink, the elder demon placing a gentle hand on her back.

"Light, you ok?" She asked hesitantly, watching the human's face contort with pain. Fang visibly winced and looked away.

"What's the… Prognosis?" Lightning asked through gritted teeth, feeling like her eyes were burning and her skin was splitting open. "What happened back in the city? Did Vanille unlock whatever needed to be unlocked?"

The demon scratched the back of her head and avoided eye contact. "Not exactly."

"So, you turned me then."

Fang's eyes finally met hers, and there was a mixture of confusion and distress storming within her jade irises that were rapidly turning red. "Not… Exactly."

"I was only able to do so much until my strength returns," Vanille offered in explanation, casting a look of sympathy over the pinkette. "To unleash the soul fragments of a demigod, and especially one as old as what you've got floating around in there takes a lot of work. We… We had to turn you before you died. It was either that or Fang was going to die as well because of the contract. But we were interrupted, you disappeared while we were…"

Surprisingly calm about the explanation, Lightning was sure this was the moment she well and truly lost her mind. She would have accepted death as an inevitability, but not if it meant Fang would… She refused to finish the thought, instead taking the demon's hand gently in a gesture of understanding. "So, what am I then?"

Fang took a ragged breath and held it, shaking her head as she watched the pinkette's eyes shift to the same fiery hue.

"We don't know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sub-note: Dynameis = Fancy name for the Virtues, 2nd sphere of angels. Responsible for miracles and signs of god, yadda yadda. You wanna see what Fang looks like? Go check out the update for this chapter on hoorayimuseful.tumblr.com!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to get a buffer up again as MY GODDAMN HOUSE WENT UNCONDITIONAL (which apparently in adult-speak means the banks have stopped dicking us around and gave us full approval) which means I am going to be officially a home owner in the new year. This also means the updates may get a smidge sporadic between now and then while I pack my shit up between now and xmas. So here is a super fucking thick chapter for kicks.

Lightning flexed her fingers for what felt like the hundredth time, looking at her hands and trying to see if anything else had changed. Beyond her eyes, which were now fiery pools of red within endless black, the rest of her still looked human. She sighed as they made their way across the wastes, back in the direction of the city. Stuck somewhere between human, demon and demigod, only time would tell what she would become.

Fang's arm suddenly came into view, bringing her to a stop as the demon barred her path. Glancing up to see what the holdup was to find a figure up ahead, leaning against a rock as casual as anyone could be in a place like hell.

The brunette frowned as her eyes narrowed, then widened in recognition and a grin threatened to split her face. "Well if it isn't the damn Calvary." She said with a lazy wave. "Come to enact Pulse's judgement for Dis?"

"Hell no, girly... That's one fine mess I'm not the slightest bit interested in. I came to offer some... Friendly advice. That's all." The figure replied, moving forward off the rock and striding over to the trio. He was heavily armoured in hide and bone, with a large skull in the centre of his chest. His hair was the colour of the sky, a muted red that was tied back behind him. He wore a mask, covering half his withered face made from bone and gold, a gaudy material Lightning didn't expect to find down here. It was perfectly sculpted to mimic a human face, whether by nostalgia for what he once had or a mockery of the Sanctum was anyone's guess.

Fang met him halfway and clasped his wrist in greeting. "Gods above and below its good to see you. How fares the wastes?" she asked, grinning broadly. He shrugged and pulled her into a hug.

"Plentiful with bounty. Though you'd know that if you spent more time down here. I see the rumours about your... Fondness for the earthly realm ring true." He replied, unfurling and stretching large leather wings that were striped with ashen grey and black. The pinkette approached with Vanille, the younger demon running forward and leaping into the man's arms with a delighted squeal. He spun her around and wrapped his wings around them both with a contented sigh. "It's so good to see you unbound, little Dia. Regardless of the mess it's caused."

Fang turned and gestured towards the human. "Light, this is Rygdea Tas Rahab. Rahab, this is Lightning. If you're listening to rumours you know why we're here."

"Aye, I do," he replied, putting Vanille down gently and folding his tattered wings across his chest to look like a cape. "It's why I'm here. They've shut the gates of Dis in the wake of what you did in the  _Dynameis_ ' Keep. Nobody is getting in or out."

The brunette sucked air through her teeth in a noise of frustration and growled at the city in the distance. "Shit. That means the direct access to the void is cut off."

Lightning moved closer and placed a hand on Fang's back, at the base of her wings. The demon had to stifle a shiver as her fingers brushed along the bone. "What does that mean? Is there any other way to access?" the pinkette asked, feeling a headache coming on. Fang nodded but her expression remained sour.

"Yeah. There is. The uh...  _Scenic route._ Through the circles. A deliberate move, I'm sure."

Rahab folded his arms and hummed in contemplation. "I'd say you're right. A move to push your human friend here through the circles, corrupt her and get her off course. Though I admit she ain't looking very human at present..." He trailed off and Fang turned to follow his gaze. Lightning was rubbing her temples, trying to rid herself of the sudden pain gripping her head. Her eyes widened at the sight of fiery lines beginning to snake across the skin on her hands, looking like electricity moving along her body.

"Fang...?" she whimpered, dropping to her knees with a gasp of pain. The demon ran over to her and held her by the shoulders, watching with growing concern as the lines spread across her face. "What's... Happening..." her words, tainted in fear broke off in a pained groan and Fang ran her hands through the pink hair. Her fingers paused on two bumps either side of her scalp and she cursed under her breath. They were getting larger and more prominent, causing Lightning to cry out in agony as two horns burst from the skin, curving wickedly along the side of her skull.

"Etro, what in the Maker's name did you do to the human, Ragnarok?" The male demon asked hesitantly, peering over her shoulder.

"Nabaat made an appearance when we were freeing Vanille. Gutted Lightning with her blade. We either had to turn her or we both would have died. She... She asked us to do it."

Rahab swore and looked away while Fang held onto the human, who was looking far more like she was one of the locals.

"S... Sorry..." Lightning whispered, causing Fang to bark out a nervous laugh.

"Whaddya apologizing to  _me_ for?" The demon asked incredulously, taking the pale face in her hands. She was startled when the human leant forward and rest her forehead on her shoulder while trying to catch her breath.

"Didn't want to… Put you in this position…" She replied with a shaky breath, her hands reaching up to feel the horns now jutting out alongside either side of her head. She gave a choked laugh, looking up at Fang with teary eyes. "Do they… Look ok?"

The demon smiled sadly and stroked the side of her face gently. "They look beautiful, Sunshine."

Rygdea and Vanille watched the interaction while stealing glances at each other. He raised an eyebrow at them and shook his head. "By the Pit… It's like Pulse and Etro all over again." He muttered, with the smaller redhead humming in agreement. They waited until Lightning had regained composure and she stood slowly, holding onto Fang tightly for support. Rygdea cleared his throat to get some attention and nodded in the direction away from the city.

"I can take you through to the Hanging Edge. I don't know if I can go any further. Pulse and I had a… Disagreement recently, and I'd rather not get in his way anytime soon." He said hesitantly, turning to walk off across the plains. The others followed with Vanille skipping ahead to catch up with him.

"What did you do?" She asked from her place next to him. He ran a hand over one of his horns and sighed.

"Tried to get him to see reason, to release the human. To keep her there invites disaster. He welcomes it."

Lightning's head tilted up and she inhaled deeply, trying to rid the gnawing pain in her skull. So it would seem that there was dissension in the ranks, not everyone in Hell seeming to agree with what had happened.

"Don't get me wrong," Rygdea continued, "A lot of us would like to get out of here and do something different with our eternity, but to side with elements in the Sanctum that seek the undoing of reality? I'm not particularly ready to face oblivion myself."

Fang saw the quizzical look the human was giving him. She moved her head close to the pinkette and pressed her lips against her ear. "He's a pride demon," She whispered, "corrupts souls with offerings of strength, power, wisdom… Likes to mess with irony a lot. Wears the mask because he's a vain bugger."

"I heard that,  _Ragnarok_ , we don't all get to keep the pretty face like you do," he warned from his place up front, coming to a stop at a cliff ahead of them. It overlooked a massive river, dark grey water churning below that cut a path through the red wastes beyond the black sands. "We're going to have to cross the Charon. Though how is… Going to be the hard part. If they've shut the city down, they'll surely have barred passage across as well."

Fang cast her gaze along the riverbed below before breaking out into a slow smile. "Don't think that's going to be a problem Ryg. Come on." She took off at a jog, making her way down the twisted path for the others to follow. Lightning trailed at the back, taking her time as the headache subsided. Taking her gloves off and glancing down at the trails of fire along her hands, she had to swallow hard at the thought that even if she saved Serah, she'd likely never see her again.

Gritting her teeth, the pinkette picked up her pace to meet up with the others, as they moved towards a robed figure standing on the banks. The black hood was recognisable before she caught a glimpse of his face, and knew who would be beneath it when he turned. Though she wasn't prepared for the look of sympathy she received when he did.

"Lovely day for a stroll, wouldn't you say, Ferryman?" Rygdea called out with a salute as they approached. Sazh pursed his lips and said nothing, clearly not amused. He stepped forward and pointed his finger accusingly.

"When you mess up you sure as shit know how to not half-ass it, Fang." He growled, causing the brunette to slow in her steps with an outraged expression. He held up his hand, silencing any protest that was pending from her mouth and shook his head. "Every. Last.  _Dynameis_. I meant for you to only release Hecatoncheir. Not  _all of them_."

"That was my doing, not Fang's." Lightning spoke up, hanging her head to avoid his gaze. Sazh walked over and tilted her chin up with a skeletal hand, to look into her red-hued eyes. He clicked his tongue in frustration and sighed loudly.

"Never meant for this to be the path you took, human. But I know you, you'll do whatever it takes, even if it damns your soul for eternity in the process."

Lightning couldn't avoid the ironic smirk that overtook her, and she shrugged. "I don't know, I like to think the horns suit me." She joked, though was unable to hide the mild bitterness in her voice. "What brings you here anyway?"

"When I'd heard what had happened at Dis I knew that the boat would be anchored, with no way across. The other  _Dynameis_  have… Escaped. Those that weren't recaptured or killed have either escaped to the wastes or managed to gain the strength to open portals to the realm above."

Fang visibly winced and gave a nervous look towards Vanille. The release of all the Virtues was definitely something on the "risking the balance" checklist. Worst case scenario, they go to the surface, feed off the humans to regain their strength and the world behind the veil is forcibly revealed. Best case scenario they go to the surface, seek out any of the demigods like Lightning, unlock their shackled soul and forcibly reveal the world behind the veil. Either way, they were probably screwed should they get out of this in one piece.

That, however, was certainly a future problem. Right now they had to cross the river Charon. "So you came to help us then?" Fang asked. Sazh merely nodded and motioned for them to move down towards the docks.

"Considering what's at stake I'd be mad not to. No more staying out of the conflict for this old man."

The closer they got to the river, Lightning was able to see that the Archaron wasn't a river of water, but rather souls. Countless, wailing souls that had yet to be given a direction for their punishment. She held her breath and stepped onto the boardwalk made from bone. Sazh conjured a vessel with a wave of his hands, and an old, decrepit ferry rose from the depths of the river for them to board. It looked wooden, but considering the overall aesthetic of this place was likely made from the remains of whatever creatures once roamed these desolate land. They all stepped onto the boat and the death god pushed them from the docks and out into the open "water".

Fang moved back over towards the pinkette and placed a hand on her back. Her hand flinched when she felt the beginnings of two bony nubs positioned around the shoulder blades. She knew Lightning felt them too because of the immediate tension she could feel.

"Will they... Will they look ok?" The pinkette whispered, her voice strained. Fang merely nodded with a caring smile and slid her hand down around her waist.

"They will look amazing. No matter what, you'll always look amazing to me, Light."

Lightning looked up at Fang with tears in her eyes, before her gaze dropped to the brunette's lips. She leant forward, seeking the comfort and the demon had no issues granting that request. Before their lips brushed, a stray bone flew into Fang's head, causing her to reel back with a yelp.

"None of that on my ship, Ragnarok," Sazh warned, wagging his finger at the pair. "The last time anyone of your calibre did that the whole place went to hell.  _Literally._ " The demon scowled and tightened her hold on the human, who nuzzled into the crook of her neck. The horns made the movement an effort, but eventually found a position that was comfortable for both of them.

Vanille hummed to herself over by the bow of the ferry, her legs dangling over the edge. She wasn't expecting for this to be her first journey on return to the waking world but was happy to be reunited with her sister nonetheless. She could feel her strength returning tenfold while sitting on the edge of the vessel, scooping up the wayward souls from the murk below. Looking back over her shoulder to where her sibling was sitting down with the human, she couldn't help the smile on her features. It faded when she thought about what was going to be required to get to the Void.

"Hey, Sazh," The redhead started cautiously, knowing that everyone would be listening, "Is Lightning going to be ok going through the circles?"

The Ferryman scratched at his beard with a bony digit and grumbled. "Hard to say, I mean there's not much left to corrupt now, is there? UH. No offence." He added hastily, watching the darkening expression on Fang's face. She was obviously protective of her charge, that much was certain. "The circles will be a test of sanity, for anyone let alone the human. I'm here to help you all through it. That is, if you're all coming."

They all turned to Rygdea who was standing off to the side with his arms folded, overlooking the river. "This whole Sanctum thing is a mess. If there's a chance that they're fixing to end reality because they can't live without their precious Maker… Screw it. I'll deal with Pulse's wrath when I get there."

Lightning removed herself from her warm place by Fang's neck and stood up, walking over to Sazh. "So what exactly am I in for that's any worse than…" She trailed off and just gestured at herself, pointing at the horns on her head. The Death God frowned and looked into the void that was now her eyes.

"The Circles are a bastardisation of the Sanctum above. Nine Spheres of Heaven, nine Circles of Hell. We're already within the First, with the city of Dis and the Hanging Edge over the river Acheron. Below, are the realms of the Transgressions."

The pinkette swallowed hard and looked out over the river, seeing the banks on the other side. She knew that no amount of preparing was going to steel her for what was to come, so indulged in Fang lending her strength from the arm wrapped around her waist when the demon had approached to join them.

"You've got your usual sins that defy the Maker, because to have them means that you're not paying attention to  _him_." Fang drawled with a roll of her eyes. "So of course the next rung down is for the terrible sin of lust. Followed by your gluttons, your greedy, your anger-driven… Then the Circle of heresy, your violent, your fraudulent and then the Void, where they send the most treacherous…" And the unspoken insinuation of where the younger Farron was being held.

"Each of these realms will seek to claim you. All of you. Especially now that Pulse knows of your intention to get to your sister and the lengths you're… Going to in order to achieve this." Sazh explained, manoeuvring the ferry to the side of the rock and bone dock on the other side of the Charon.

As the group departed the vessel and stepped onto the jagged pier, the boat vanished back into the river of souls. They stood on the precipice of the abyss. The descent into what was, in reality, the Maker's dungeon, his own private torture chamber of all those who dared to defy him. Lightning closed her eyes and focused on that armour from the children's story, holding onto it like a beacon of hope in this place of madness and despair. She opened her eyes with renewed determination. No matter what. "Serah, I'm coming for you." She whispered, nobody else catching the words. The pinkette stepped forward and pulled the sword from her back.

"Let's go."

* * *

The stone pathway deviated into the depths, the way lit with torches of a deep red fire. It bathed the cliff face in a bloody glow that reminded Lightning a little of the After Life bar they had been in earlier. They moved in silence, the only sounds were their own boots and the muffled screams of the tortured souls below.

Somewhere along the line, the sounds became more indistinguishable between pain and… Something else entirely. Fang grimaced and made a noise of discontent the further down the dark path they travelled.

"Etro's Gate… I've had hoped that the last time I came through here would have been the last…" She pointed at a structure in the distance surrounded by a vicious wind. "Shiva's domain, within the tower of Taejin lies the queen of the frost herself. We're going to have to go through it to get to the other side. Titan says they built it when they first were cast down here, trying to find an exit. It… Serves as the palace of the Ice Queen now."

Lightning shook her head at the irony that a Fal'Cie responsible for all things ice and cold would reside in the place where the lustful would be punished and suppressed the need to laugh. She was convinced that this place was already sending her mad anyway. Glancing over at the brunette, she felt that familiar burn of desire when they made eye contact, not dissimilar to when the demon was influencing her. The only difference this time, was that Fang felt it too.

The brunette shook the feelings off, turning her gaze away from Lightning and focused on the path ahead. The tumultuous winds battered against the tower, and now the sounds were unmistakable. Fang narrowed her eyes and glared at the statues carved from stone, twisted monuments to the indulgence of the flesh. Some lesser demons lounged over the effigies while others flew up and snatched souls from the sky to feast on. "Pulse be damned harpies..." she muttered, growling at some nearby.

"What's the matter, Fang? Not happy to be back in your realm with the other desire demons?" Rahab jeered, nudging her in the ribs with his elbow. He received a much harder one in his gut in response, knocking the wind out of him. Fang stormed ahead, feeling a tension in her abdomen the closer she got to the tower.

Massive stone gates stood in their way, engraved with all sorts of lewd motifs, a constant cruel reminder of what put the doomed souls there in the first place. "Well, that's... Just charming." Sazh commented, moving up next to the pinkette. "Hey, human. Do yourself a favour and... Keep your distance from Ragnarok, at least while we're going through here."

It took a few extra seconds of staring before the meaning sunk in. "Right. Temptation dialled up to eleven here I take it." She sighed, eyeing off the gates and feeling unsettled. "Surely I'm not going to feel… In a place like this?"

Sazh chuckled, the sound a little wistful and patted her shoulder. "You would be surprised what they can make you feel down here, Farron."

Fang unfolded her wings that had been tucked compactly around her and stretched them, the popping joints relieving some of the tension she felt. Drawing a gesture in the air, a glyph of fire rose from her fingers and pushed against the door, causing it to creak open. The hallway within was a sea of writhing bodies, both demonic and shade, with Shiva sitting at the helm of it all, relaxing on a throne.

The Fal'Cie looked up and crooked a finger at the demon, beckoning her forward. Fang inhaled and stepped forward, knowing the request was only a courtesy. The others followed warily, with Lightning tightening her grip on the blade. The Fal'Cie was impossibly tall, impossibly beautiful, with long blue-black hair that flower across her near-naked body like water. She towered over the group, the size of a house. Her long nails sharpened into needlepoints at the tips tapped on the armrest, mocking impatience.

Shiva stood and battered any of the attendants from her body, sauntering down the path towards them. She began to shrink to a more accommodating size, her hips swaying seductively as she approached. Fang clenched her jaw and refused to look at the others behind her as she knelt, head bowed in reverence.

"That's a good pet." Shiva purred, running her sharp nails through the dark hair. Small trails of blood crept down the demon's neck, where the Fal'Cie had drawn blood on her scalp. "It pleases me that you still know your place, even if you vanish from my halls for so long. I have missed you."

"We merely seek passage through the tower, nothing more," Fang replied through gritted teeth.

"Nothing more…?"

The demon looked back briefly at Lightning, apology written in her gaze. "Nothing more, mistress." She replied, her words broken in her throat.

"That's better. I hate to think you've forgotten your manners. I…" Shiva trailed off as her gaze was taken away from the demon. The human stalked towards them, standing beside Fang with a warning growl. The Fal'Cie raked her eyes over the half-demon form and purred in delight. "So this is one causing so much unrest in the realms? The one who has taken my precious Ragnarok from me?"

Lightning didn't respond to her barbs, keeping her face impassive. "You're one of the original creators. Why are you…"

"Making the most of my lot? Eternity is a long time to spend in a place like this. I send my demons out into the world above to make more souls for my palace, my tower of indulgence while the rest suffer in punishment for ignoring their precious  _Maker._ " She droned, spitting out the title like it was poison. Shiva held out her hands and snapped her fingers, sending ice walls careening through the hall, cutting the others off from Fang and Lightning. She bent down and gripped at the demon's jaw, pulling her gaze up to her.

"You have been busy, haven't you my pet? But you bit off far more than you can chew on this one. Didn't you?"

"… Yes…" Fang replied, wincing as nails dug into her skin, "Yes mistress…"

The Fal'Cie smiled and let her go, moving her gaze up to the pinkette, who was glaring at her intensely. "Fascinating. You seem to have quite the attachment to my favourite. Did she try to manipulate you? Stoke your desires and turn them into a raging inferno of want?" Though barely perceptible, Shiva caught the slightest eye twitch and smiled. "She did. Did you want to do the same to her? Turn the tables, as it were?"

Lightning heard a small whimper from her feet and glanced down to find Fang staring up at her, the need in her glazed eyes clearly evident. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore how the demon's chest heaved with every breath she took. She stepped out of Fang's reach when she felt the demon's leg slide up the inside of her thigh.

"See, Ragnarok may think she can deny her nature as a desire demon, but I know who she is. What she is."

"You wouldn't know the first thing about Fang." Lightning snapped, startling the Fal'Cie with her ferocity. "Oerba Yun Fang, get up. You don't kneel to things like her."

The demon grunted as the collar around her neck tightened, the first time she'd been reminded of its presence because of a command in a while. She staggered to her feet and heaved a sigh of relief as the tightness around her neck dissipated. She cast an uneasy glance at the pinkette, seeing the dilated pupils and nostrils twitching. The human was being just as affected by this place as she was.

"Impressive display. I think I like you. But you can't take what isn't yours."

"She  _is_ mine." Lightning growled, stepping forward aggressively. She felt her teeth sharpening in her head, canines jutting down in a savage snarl. Fang stared at the display, feeling smaller than ever. That she could even feel that way around the human was baffling to her, an ages-old being. A part of her was terrified of what was happening, but she couldn't deny the thrill that shot through her at Lightning's overprotective words.

"We'll see." Shiva hummed appreciatively and grinned salaciously.

She snapped her fingers again and the floor gave way, tumbling the duo into darkness. They landed with a hard thud onto the stone floor, barely illuminated by a scattering of sconces on the walls. Sounds of skittering and hissing came from the darkness around them, and they knew they weren't alone.

Fang crawled over to the human and took her head in her hands. "Light, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I think my pride is more hurt than my body." She replied, sitting up with a groan. Staring back up at the opening, Lightning shifted her shoulder blades, searching for wings that weren't there. "Suppose that was too much to ask for that we could fly out." She muttered, causing the demon next to her to chuckle.

"Come on. We've gotta take the stairs. No elevators in this tower, unfortunately." Fang joked, reaching out and pulling the human up. At their first touch when Lightning took her hand both gasped at the sensation of skin on skin. "Shit…" The demon whispered, suddenly fighting with herself to not pull the human into an embrace. From the look on Lightning's face, she was having the same struggles.

"Shiva planned this, didn't she?" The pinkette asked, receiving a stiff nod in response. They immediately let go of each other like they had touched fire and put some distance between them. Lightning swallowed hard and bit her lip, hissing as a sharp canine pierced the skin. "Ow. Forgot about those…"

"I dunno, I think they're pretty sexy. Gives you that whole deadly vibe and… Uh… Wow, that… I meant to keep that comment in my head." Fang stammered, going bright red. Lightning relished having the demon on the back foot and leant in closer.

"Maybe when we're out of here I can introduce them to you in a more intimate setting and-  _dammit_  we need to get the hell out of this tower." She grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Agreed."

The duo began to climb the stairs that wrapped around the tower interior, weapons drawn and being sure to keep their distance from each other. Even the lightest brushing of arms had them stumbling, fighting their own limbs to not take things further. "Goddess… To even feel this way in such a place…" Lightning muttered to herself, feeling flushed the further they climbed. "So what's Shiva's deal anyway?" She asked. Fang hummed at the question, with Lightning gesturing to the tower around them.

"Right. Uh, not all of them are as magnanimous as Titan, the old Mountain somehow managing to keep his wits despite being half buried in sand for eternity. Shiva lost out in a big way during the stand, according to him. He says she was a pacifist, didn't want anything to do with the war or any of Bhunivelze's bullshit." The demon explained, pausing to rest a moment. "She refused to choose a side, and the Maker threw her down here anyway."

"How did you come to… You know. Here?"

Fang chuckled, feeling a little nostalgic. "I wandered the wastes after the Fall, took no part in the squabbles for territory and vengeance. I was lost, broken and grieving for everything I'd lost like so many down here. I came upon the tower, and Shiva sleeping within. She was the first to show kindness in a place like Hell. Well, the closest thing that constitutes kindness here. She was the one to give me purpose, to learn how to hear the hearts and minds of humans and give them their desires."

A demon suddenly burst forth from a side corridor and attacked them, interrupting them. The creature was a strange parody of a human woman but twisted with disjointed legs and a scorpion tail that looked as deadly as the rest of the demon, with her claws outstretched with intent to kill. It slashed against Lightning's arm and cut deep, and the pinkette staggered backwards, the wound burning like acid against her skin. Fang snarled as the collar choked her and brought her lance forward, severing its head from its shoulders, sending it tumbling down into the darkness below. She kicked the corpse off the side of the stairs with a sneer. "Fucking succubi," she growled, content that there was one less in the world to deal with.

"So… That's the difference then… I remember you getting very insulted when I called you a succubus. You're definitely cuter." a pained voice croaked behind her. Fang spun to find Lightning leant against the wall, breathing heavily and clutching at her arm where it was cut. Fang rushed over and awkwardly hovered her hands over the wound, not wanting to touch her in case the tower was still getting to them. The blood was slowly turning from red to black as it dripped down her arm, and the skin was beginning to shift as well.

The human's forearms were being covered with a plated, fiery material that was eerily reminiscent of molten lava that had been crystalised. The gasp that tore from her throat drew Fang's gaze upwards, watching the pale woman's spine arch. The nubs on her back grew into small bones that jutted from her shoulder blades, a prelude to further changes to come.

"Light…" Fang said quietly, trying to stay as close as she could without skin contact. She wouldn't be given the option, as Lightning reached up and grabbed at the beaded necklace around her neck. She pulled the demon forward into a savagely hungry kiss, that set all desires on fire. A tail snaked around Fang and pulled her into the pinkette with a choke, barely having time to register that the newly appearing appendage belonged to the pinkette.

Cupping her face, Fang gripped at the small of the human's back with her free hand and mewled into her mouth. She'd never felt such drive before, in all the millennia she had been playing along with her role, never before had she herself desired, needed, craved someone like she did this pink-haired demigod.

Demigod… Not a demon… Which she was very rapidly becoming. She swore she heard Shiva laughing cruelly in her mind. Fang tried to pull back but Lightning simply tightened her grip and bit into her lower lip. Fang suddenly pushed her back and reeled away from her, spitting blood onto the ground. The last thing Lightning needed was to feed on a demon, then there would be no going back.

"Light… We gotta… We gotta get out of here. Or we're not going to free Serah."

Hearing her sister's name was the ice cold bucket of water to the face that the pinkette needed. She gasped, pressing against the wall like she was trying to melt into it, trying to clear all of the disruptive thoughts from her mind. "Etro I hate this place." She whispered, avoiding looking at Fang. Lightning nodded after a few minutes, indicating she had regained her composure. Most of it, anyway.

They continued on through the tower in silence, neither wanting to voice what had transpired. Lightning looked down at her hands, now a twisted red with savage claws. The demonic tail that now moved around behind her gave her a new centre of gravity to adjust to. She moved it into her field of vision, giggling a little at the strange sensation. Fang turned and arched an eyebrow at her, watching as the pinkette was amusing herself with her new appendage.

"When we have the time, once we get out of here… Remind me to show you how to… Hide that. You can revert to your human appearance, with a little bit of practice." Fang offered, watching the red-hued eyes drift up to meet her own. The demon gave a shy smile and coughed nervously, looking back in front of them.

"When we have time… Do you think we could pick up where we left off?" Came the mischievous response, causing Fang to trip on the stairs. Lightning's expression became more solemn as they neared the top, no other lesser demons willing to interfere with the two highly dangerous women on a warpath. "I'm… Really screwed here, aren't I? Thinking about… You, when I should be focused on Serah." She sighed, running a hand along one of the horns protruding from her skull. Fang frowned and chanced the contact, taking her hand and stroking it gently. It took every ounce of willpower not to give into the corruption of the place. She held the other hand firmly against the pinkette's chest to ensure she too kept her distance.

"No. Not screwed. If Vanille's strength has returned she should be able to finish what we started back in the city of Dis. I… Don't know if it will be enough, but maybe unlocking the rest of the dormant powers could negate the… What we had to do. We'll figure it out, I promise."

Lightning looked away, not willing to risk the eye contact in case she gave into her feelings again. The tail seemed to have other ideas; the tip of which slid up Fang's leg, startling the demon and causing her to yelp.

"For Etro's sake does this thing have a mind of its own?" Lightning complained, exasperated. It caused Fang to laugh, suddenly breaking through the fog of lust that had settled over her mind.

"At least it has good taste," she jibed, stepping out of its reach with a grin. There would be time for closeness and intimacy later. Right now there was a tower to finish climbing, and a Fal'Cie to smack in the face. The pinkette glared at the tall, ornate doors that barred their path ahead, making a guttural growl at the obstacle.

Fang shivered at the sound and leant in close. She couldn't help it. The demon knew that this place was getting to her, but then again so was the human regardless of the circle they found themselves in. Lightning turned her head and captured the brunette's lips, before breaking away panting. It was becoming second nature to be in the demon's presence, to be so possessive and desiring of her. Fang tried to follow, making whispered pleadings for the chance to touch her.

"Oerba Yun Fang, behave. I need to concentrate." Lightning said firmly, ignoring the desire lancing through her at the sight of Fang dropping to her knees with a whine in her throat. "We're getting out of here. Then we can talk about other… Things."

The pinkette felt the electricity before she saw it, leaping from her fingers towards the door. It lit up as it was scorched from the white lightning that aggressively broke apart the door. Pieces of stone went flying, as Fang got back up to her feet and followed the human back into the hall like a lost puppy.

"Well, they don't look like they've been getting fresh... But the human looks like hell. Heh. Get it? See... See what I did there?" Rygdea's voice called out from their place, bound in ice with only their heads visible. Shiva whirled around from her spot on her throne, outraged at the appearance of the two women she had cast into the base of the tower.

"Ragnarok, be a dear and incapacitate the human." The Fal'Cie hissed, clenching her fist in a choking gesture. While the demon grimaced and wavered she otherwise stood still, grateful for the presence of Lightning's newly acquired tail pressing against her lower back.

"I don't… Answer to you anymore… Shiva… I am bound. To Lightning."

"You are bound to oblivion then!"

The ice queen sent a frozen spike careening towards them that threatened to impale them against the wall. Both ducked out of the way with a roll, bringing their weapons out. The duo spared a knowing glance at each other before they sprinted in tandem towards the Fal'Cie. Shiva grew in size until her hand could have crushed them in one swoop. She brought it down, crashing into the stone floor as Lightning rolled out of the way. She swung it back and caught Fang in her stomach, sending her crashing into the wall.

"Why protect this human willingly, Ragnarok? She bound you. Took you from your purpose." Shiva asked, bringing forth an ice blade to protect against the flurry of attacks from the pinkette. The Fal'Cie was astonished at the speed and aggression from the human and had to steel her wits against the onslaught. Fang growled and let more of her demonic form show, extending claws and gnashing her teeth in anger.

"Because I don't want this purpose anymore! I didn't fight my way free from one master to wind up beholden to another!"

Shiva snarled and threw up an ice wall, blocking the human from them. She shot forward and picked up Fang by the throat, lifting her clear from the ground. "You were one of the few that gave my damnation meaning, Ragnarok." The Fal'Cie whispered, her voice sounding pained. "And for that, I am sorry." She threw Fang across the room before the demon could comprehend the words. She hit the ice with a thud and slid to the floor.

Lightning forced her way through the wall and sent a few bolts of electricity crackling along the floor. Shiva jumped back as the pinkette launched herself at her. The ice queen held her by the wrists, a deep cold settling in the human's limbs. "Good," The Fal'Cie whispered, staring into the void that was Lightning's eyes. "You might be strong enough to finally free me."

Fang's eyes narrowed as she sat up, trying to crawl her way to her feet. "Please Shiva, I beg of you, stop this! It doesn't have to end like this!" The demon pleaded, torn in her place of who to help. Shiva looked over at Fang with a sad smile and shook her head.

"My precious Ragnarok," she said quietly, "For us, this is the only way it can." The ice queen suddenly let go of the human's arms and lay her own limply by her sides.

"Lightning, don't!" Fang cried out, but it was too late. The pinkette was already in motion, plunging the blade into the Fal'Cie's stomach. Shiva dropped like a stone to the floor, her hair and limbs splaying out along with the blood leaving her system.

"Thank you… I never wanted any of this…" Shiva whispered with a pained rasp, tears crystallising to ice on her cheeks. She clawed weakly at the air with her dying breaths. It was no use, nothing would save her now.

Lightning felt a tug in her chest, an irresistible draw that had her reaching out towards the Fal'Cie, like she was trying to grasp something. An ice blue crystal was pulled from the old Creator's chest, and the pinkette caught it in a firm grip. It felt warm to the touch and was in the shape of a tear. Shiva's sorrow.

It suddenly shattered into mist in her hand and shot towards her, not unlike what happened with Odin's Eye. She inhaled instinctively, the mist filling her lungs and then exhaled an icy vapour.

"Goddess…" She whispered, watching the red plates on her arms began to crack and fall. With great relief, Lightning saw her gloved hands once again looking human. She found the overwhelming desires that sought to taint every thought diminishing, leaving a cool calm in its wake.

Fang cautiously approached the pinkette, staring in complete disbelief at what she was witnessing. She knelt to the ground and gave a pained glance at the fallen Fal'Cie. "Bloody hell… You… You're more than just a demigod. You're a damned God Killer."

"We need to keep moving." Lightning replied curtly, standing slowly and heading towards the exit. Wanting to keep as much distance between her and the demon as possible in case the residual nature of this place got to them again in front of the others. She also felt uneasy about what had transpired and didn't want to spend a second longer in the tower. The pinkette threw a bolt towards the ice keeping her companions bound and Vanille squealed as she fell to the ground. The freed trio dusted themselves off and chased after her.

That left Fang kneeling on the ground by Shiva, her hand on the Ice Queen's shoulder. As much as she raged against the Fal'Cie woman, she was a constant presence in her life for millennia, a twisted companion in a twisted world. And the pinkette had ended her because the stupid stubborn Queen didn't know when to stand down. A tear escaped her eye and she sniffed, rubbing its evidence from her face with her free hand. Even despite everything, Shiva was an old friend and a companion through the lonely eons in Pulse's Kingdom.

Fang knew she had to catch up with the others but for now… For now, she took the time to grieve for a mentoring presence, as she curled up next to the freezing body of Shiva and cried.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another update. Like, comment, subscribe etc! [Hoorayimuseful on Tumblr](http://www.hoorayimuseful.tumblr.com) for fic related art and updates.

 

Lightning stood on the edge of a cliff just beyond the tower, quietly waiting for Fang to catch up. In the midst of battle, she was nothing but a whirlwind of reaction and instinct, but now that it had passed a hollow gnawing crept into her chest that unsettled her. Had she gone too far with Shiva? What did it even mean to kill a Fal'Cie? She remembered Fang telling her that gods could die, that was the whole reason she had the soul fragments within her in the first place. It was one thing to have the knowledge, but something else entirely to actually cause the death of a god.

Then there was Fang, who hadn't left the tower yet, leaving the group hovering at the edge of the borders, waiting for any sign that she was coming. The pained expression on the demon's face as she knelt beside the ice queen caused Lightning far more hurt than she anticipated. Either because she could see that Fang harboured feelings for another, or that she was the reason for causing her pain.

The subject of her thoughts appeared in the distance, walking slowly from the tower. Fang approached the group silently, with her head bent forward and eyes staring at the ground. "Sorry to keep you all waiting, let's go." She said quietly, moving past the others and walking ahead. Vanille ran up to her and wrapped her arms around Fang's elbow, leaning her head against her shoulder.

"Fang… Are you ok?"

The demon simply shook her head and clenched her jaw. "She… Kept me company while you were gone. Several thousand years is a long time to know someone, 'Nille. Even as dysfunctional a friendship as it was, it was still… I hate that she ended it like that."

Vanille looked behind her to find Lightning snapping her gaze away, trying to find anything else to look at as they descended. "The human?" She asked, confused. Another shake of the head.

"No. Shiva. It wasn't… It wasn't Lightning's fault." Fang replied, feeling the pinkette's eyes settling back on her. "In the end, oblivion is preferable to endless suffering for many. Not like you're going to remember it anyway. And yet for some suffering is preferable to oblivion. Funny how that works."

Lightning found that the words didn't make her feel any better, to have taken someone that Fang was obviously close with. She focused on the sky above, that was trailing further and further from view the deeper into the Pit they went.

There was something foul on the air, a sharp, acidic smell that had the pinkette retching a little. Fang caught the sound and made the foolish mistake of inhaling, coughing violently.

"Gods be damned that's… Ugh. There was a reason I never left beyond the tower." She complained, covering her mouth and nose with her hand. Turning with an apologetic glance to the human behind her, she shook her head and pointed at the cave entrance with her free hand. "This is… Etro's sake that reeks… This is the circle where they send the gluttonous. Those that lived in excess instead of glory to the Maker. Not that anything really  _is_  down here, but this next wrung isn't… Isn't going to be pretty."

Not really wanting to know the answer as to why, Lightning swallowed hard and quickened her pace, staying by Fang's side. Her shoulder blades itched where the wing bones had been steadily growing since the base of the tower. If she angled her vision just right, she could see the beginnings of a membrane forming between them. She sighed, wondering what she'd look like by the time she got to the void. Would Serah even still recognise her? Would Serah even accept what she'd done, what she had become? The pinkette took a sharp inhale at the thought and immediately regretted it, the acrid air causing her to violently cough.

The only one in the group who didn't appear to be affected by the stench was Vanille, who was happily humming away as they walked down the pathway. It felt good to stretch her legs, felt good that her strength was returning. After feeding on the wayward souls in the Archeron she felt a little bit more like herself. The  _Dynameis_ didn't have a lot of time to get used to their hellish surroundings after the fall, being imprisoned almost straight away. But she was reunited with her sister, so she could care less where she was.

There was a strange taste on the air, that made the redhead's tongue feel ticklish, and she found herself licking her lips to rid the feeling. She wasn't finding the smell as repulsive as the others did, because she was catching the scent beneath the encroaching filth and focusing on that. Souls. Lots and lots of souls.

The ground beneath them began to shift as they entered the cave, turning from stone to something far softer beneath their feet. The feeling made Lightning squeamish, and she idly wished for the wings to come in faster so she could fly into the void and be free of this accursed place. The smell of death and rot was permeating everything, and she grimaced in discomfort. "Disgusting. It feels like we're walking on flesh."

"That's because we are. We need to get through here as quickly as possible, if I had lunch to lose it'd be gone by now." Rygdea groaned, keeping his wings wrapped tightly around him. The cavern opened up to a grotesque sight of souls being thrown into a massive pit of writhing flesh, gnashing teeth tearing them apart. Lightning instinctively went to Fang's side, clutching tightly at her arm. The demon tensed, uncertain of her own movements around the one that had just killed a friend. Her attention was split between trying to offer a modicum of comfort to the pinkette, and her growing concern at the curious unflinching gaze that Vanille was giving the scene before her.

"Sazh, do me a favour and keep Vanille away from the pits, they're full of glutton-wyrms." Fang warned, untangling herself from the human. The death god nodded, a knowing and grim expression on his face.

"Come on little lady, this ain't the buffet you want to be getting involved in. How about we take you to a nice restaurant when this is all over?"

"What's a buffet? Or a restaurant?" Vanille asked, her head craning back towards the pit as she was guided away. It wasn't until they had come to the cavern that the grumbling in her stomach had grown into a hollow, gnawing void that felt like she was vanishing from the inside out. The realisation that she had spent several thousand years trapped in the city of Dis struck her full force at that moment, and she stopped in her tracks. It caused her older sister to turn and glance uneasily at her, eyebrow raised in question.

"You alright?"

Vanille stared with eyes unfocused, looking through her sibling. Decades had gone by. Centuries. Millennia. Not experiencing life, not a single drop of water past her lips, not a single ounce of sustenance. All because she was foolish enough to follow her sister down a disastrous path of oblivion. Fang's burden had become hers, without her even getting a say in the matter. And now she was weakened, barely a skerrick of what she once was because of that choice that wasn't even made by her.

A low, sickly sounding grumble rolled from the darkness nearby. A lesser demon stumbled into their path, dragging a large thigh-bone behind it. Its appearance certainly matched the surroundings, bloated grey skin evident of the excess souls it gorged on. It groaned and leant forward, allowing the momentum of its weight to accelerate. It was incredibly fast for its size, the others backing up cautiously and tightening their grips on their weapons. It began to lunge at them, smashing the huge bone into the ground where they stood, sending them scattering to put distance between them.

Vanille, however, stood immobile, staring the beast down as it lumbered towards them. She merely held out her hand and flicked her wrist forward, sharp wiry tendrils flitting from her palm and into the path of the lesser demon. They cut into the skin, sending it crashing to the ground. She jerked her arm back, bringing the tendrils home. As they vanished it left her hand covered in black blood, and the redhead ran a curious tongue over the mess on her palm. Her eyes went black as the taste hit her, and she growled low in her throat.

"Hey, 'Nille, sweetie, good job on the Gorger demon but do you want to… Uh…" Fang trailed off as black ink-looking markings started to appear across her sibling's skin. Vanille cast a glance back at the group with a malicious smile, before vanishing in a swath of black liquid. "Aw for fuck's sake…" Fang groaned and rubbed her face with her hands.

"Anyone care to explain what the hell just happened?" Lightning asked, still feeling a little nauseous at the display. Fang scratched the back of her neck and put her hands on her hips with a sigh.

"So, as you're aware the  _Dynameis_  are keys, right? They unlock things. Latent abilities, soul seals, portals, yadda yadda. Takes an extraordinary amount of energy to do this though. Before the Fall, they drew their powers from celestial energies. Now, they take their energy from the life force of other beings. Souls, the flesh and blood of angels and demons. Probably humans as well."

Lightning whirled and grabbed the demon by the sari and pulled her close, an angry expression on her face. "Why didn't you tell me this before?" She hissed, positively seething. "I let every last one of them out back in Dis!"

"We had other shit on our plate at that point, it wasn't the highest priority other than  _saving_   _your_   _fucking_   _life_  and getting the fuck away from the thrones." Fang growled in response. Sazh stepped forward and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, separating them.

"I think what barista girl is getting at, is the exact reason I didn't want anyone beyond your sister released. If they gain enough strength and get into the world above… That spells real bad news for the humans up there, and the veil in general."

Fang stared hard, the implications finally settling in her mind. She paled a little, sagging her shoulders. "Well, fuck. That's... You know what no. Fuck the realms above. One thing at a time. I don't need this right now, I've gotta go find Vanille." She snapped, turning and racing off into the darkness of the caverns. Rygdea ambled up alongside the pinkette and sighed.

"I was really hoping to be able to get out of here before I can't get the stench out of my clothes."

* * *

Fang ran through the caverns, seeking any sign of her wayward sibling. She wasn't about to lose her to the vices of soul-eating within this disgusting circle. She'd already lost one person in her life that day, she refused to add any further loved ones to the tally. Fang had prepared for the possibility of going up against her own kin and kind down here as soon as the collar was bound to her throat, but it didn't make the reality any easier.

"Vanille! Where are ya, missy? We've gotta keep moving. I'll take you to this great café on the surface when we're done here. The things that humans can do with food is incredible. I think you'll really enjoy sugar."

The demon caught sight of something deep black moving between shadows, just out of reach. She followed it into another cavern, where she found a trail of lesser wraiths strewn about the floor, all completely drained of any blood. They at least gave her an uneasy trail to follow, and Fang drew a sigil in the air to mark something for the others to find and continued on with her lance in her hand.

"Come on, 'Nille… Quit hiding and get your butt out here…"

"Why? So I can be dragged into another fight against my will? What's it even matter?" The redhead's voice called out from the shadows. Fang cast a fireball into the air to illuminate the dark hollow, and her heart sunk at the sight before her. Vanille was seated atop a beheaded gargoyle, picking her teeth with a bone shard. There was a cluster of bodies, both demon and soul alike that had been completely sapped of anything that resembled life force. They were mere husks at her feet.

"What's it matter? You want to become a monster?" Fang exclaimed. Vanille threw the shard at her sister with a menacing growl.

"You are so filled with grief for your fall from grace that you're blind to everything else around you. You got to run around on the surface, for thousands of years. You could come and go as you please." She yelled and vanished into the shadows, suddenly reappearing with a firm finger stuck in Fang's face. "I was bound, on my knees, in darkness. For entire epochs. No light, no air, no food. Nothing. Because of my insane need to follow you in whatever stupid decisions you make. But sure Fang, tell me all about this fascinating  _sugar_  that the humans have that you've been capable of indulging in."

The brunette was forced back by a gust of wind that came from her sister, throwing her against the cavern wall with a grunt. She fell to the ground just as the others came into view, and Lightning rushed forward to help. Fang stuck her arm out to stop her, the colour shifting and the skin segmenting into plates.

"Vanille, that's enough. I didn't hold a sword to your throat and force you to follow me with Pulse's plan to free us." Fang growled, her voice growing thick with anger and no longer able to keep her true demonic form at bay.

The redhead merely glowered and bared her teeth, black ink dripping from the sharpening points. She leapt backwards and let the shadows envelop her, disappearing. "No, but you may as well have." She hissed, her venomous voice seeming to come from every angle.

"By the Pit… She's using the shadows to move." Rygdea warned, pulling his blade from its sheath. Vanille's manic giggling came from everywhere, causing them to bunch up back to back. Fang growled in warning, her full form ready to stop her sister by force if necessary.

Wires whipped out from the darkness, catching Fang in the torso. The spikes ripped into her skin and dragged her forward, pulling her into a nearby pit. She crashed into the mass of glutton-wyrms and frantically tried to claw her way up the rock. The demon roared as teeth began to gnaw on her, tearing into her leg and side.

"Fang!" Lightning yelled out, racing towards the pit. She narrowly avoided the wires that shot out at her from the shadows and slid over the edge. The pinkette wedged her blade into the rock face as she fell, managing to get it to catch and stop her fall into the mass of teeth and flesh below. She regretted looking down into the monstrosity below but had to in order to find Fang. The demon was aggressively beating back an oversized rotting mouth from attempting to devour her while she bled profusely. Her wings were useless, broken and hanging limply at her sides. There wasn't enough time to heal them before the glutton-wyrm was biting into her again.

Lightning weighed up her options and held her breath. She pulled the other half of her weapon off the wall and threw it further down, lodging the blade in the stone. Grabbing the sword she was still holding onto, the pinkette pushed out from the wall and leapt across to her other makeshift step, just out of reach of the ravenous wyrms.

"Light!" Fang cried out, reaching her arm up to grab hold of Lightning's wrist. The human pulled her up and held on tight around her waist. The jerky movement caused the demon to cry out in pain.

"Any… Ideas on how we're getting out of here? Haven't quite... Grown into my wings just yet..." Lightning panted, physical exertion taking its toll and trying to keep their legs clear of the snapping teeth below. The demon clenched her teeth and nodded, looking a little nervous. "Whatever you're thinking, we're running out of options and my grip is slipping so… Just do it and we'll figure out the consequences later." The pinkette growled, trying to keep hold of the blade. Fang bit her lip hard and whispered an apology before pressing forward for a heated kiss.

"This… Is not… A plan…" Lightning said angrily between breaths, before catching a metallic tang on her tongue. "Oh." She said a little quieter, recapturing the demon's bottom lip with a bite. The same thing that was currently fuelling Vanille's rage was now rushing into the pinkette's mouth, and she happily and hungrily took whatever Fang was willing to give. Her shoulder blades were itching again, as the bones and membrane grew rapidly until she had a full set of wings to rival the demon's. With a testing flap, she found they were definitely functional, and gripped Fang tightly as she leapt from the wall. She had to leave the blade behind, much to her annoyance, but at least managed to get enough lift to get them both out of the pit. They crashed onto the ground hard, Lightning still staying over the top of the demon protectively.

"Vanille!" Lightning yelled, causing the maelstrom of black that was fighting off Sazh and Rygdea to pause and twist towards the pinkette. The inky mass screeched as a bolt struck her in the side, sending the redhead flying.

"Get a hold of yourself," Lightning snapped, trying to prop Fang up in her arms. "You have every right to be angry about what was done to you. Every right. But you're directing your rage at the wrong person. Direct it at the Sanctum, at the Maker. They're the ones who bound you, not your sister."

Vanille paused as she slowly got up on her hands and knees, looking over at the bleeding demon in the pinkette's arms. "Oh no..." she whispered, seemingly coming back to her senses. She crawled over to the pair, seeing the state her sister was in. "Fang... I'm... I'm so sorry..." she sobbed, gingerly taking the battered hand in her own. The claws closed over her fingers and the demon gave a rough laugh that turned into a rasping cough.

"Keep that up and you'll have me crying soon. It's ok... I understand. And I'm sorry, for everything."

Lightning looked at the incredibly damaged form and wondered why Fang wasn't healing herself. Possibly the injuries were too far gone. "Hold on, Fang... I've got you.." she croaked, her voice surprising her with how strained it was. She realised she was scared of the prospect of losing the demon, even despite everything that had happened and was going to happen.

Lightning searched her acquired memories for anything that could help and yet still frustratingly came up empty. All of this overwhelming power battering at the surface, trying to break through and yet… Nothing.

There was only one thing left that she could do, and mimicked what she'd seen Fang do earlier when rescuing her sister. Biting into her wrist to draw blood, she held it to the demon's mouth and sat her up further. Lightning gently encouraged her and kept close.

Fang suckled at lightning's wrist and marvelled at the taste. She'd fed on demons and humans alike in the past but this was... This was something else entirely. This was a taste of the gods. Of ambrosia. Of a true paradise of flesh and bone. The tiny grunts that came from the pinkette when she felt sharp teeth bite into the wound a little deeper were not enough to deter her until the thought occurred that she potentially drain the woman dry if she wasn't careful.

She finally released the wrist with a gasp, watching the skin knit back together on her abdomen. Fang gently kissed the wound on Lightning's wrist and pulled her down into an embrace.

"Thank you." She whispered in the pinkette's ear. Lightning smiled against the demon as she returned to a somewhat more human form. Fang's bones set, and she felt like her strength was returning.

"Don't go looking at me like I'm dinner now, ok?" The pinkette replied with a chuckle. "But do you think we could maybe get the fuck out of this disgusting place?"

It caused a laugh to bubble from the demon and she nodded, allowing her to be helped up. The world spun a little around her as she got to her feet. There was a strange itch where her collarbones met but otherwise felt fine and able to continue.

The redhead ran up to Lightning and shot her hand out, pushing against her chest. Lightning gasped, it felt like Vanille was reaching through her skin and bone, and pulling at something from deep within her. Fang held onto her as she screamed in agony, looking at her sister in shock. When the small demon pulled her hand back, it was dripping with blood and held a handful of black shards.

"Sorry. On the upside from my crazy rampage, I gained enough strength back to finish the job. Your soul is unbound now."

"Etro's Gate, Vanille. You could have given us some fucking warning.." Lightning groaned, clutching at her chest as she caught her breath. Fang helped her get her footing and squeezed her shoulder. The demon looked like she was about to say something but Lightning waved her off, needing a minute to adjust.

She felt like she'd been unplugged from an electrical socket and stuck straight into a live wire. Tentatively feeling along her head, the pinkette was a little disappointed to see the horns still there, hoping that they would have vanished like Fang had theorized. Lightning sighed and began to move, her steps feeling lighter than ever. Looking over the redhead, she smiled softly and nudged her towards her sister with a whisper of encouragement.

Vanille ran up to Fang and crushed her with a tight hug, crying into the sari across her chest. The elder demon wrapped her arms around her sibling and stroked her hair gently.

"It's ok little one. Let's see this through and then we'll get out of here. Go wherever you want. I'll show you everything."

Lightning's expression dropped hearing those words. Once Serah was free, the pact was done and her soul would be cast down here while Fang and her sister would roam the worlds above and below. She wondered what circle she'd wind up in. If she could barter and deal to avoid the suffering, become a demon like the rest. She flinched as she felt the Fang's hand on her shoulder, and turned to find her smiling broadly.

"Come on Light, let's go get your sister out of the Void."

The pinkette nodded, face remaining impassive and followed them from the cave, sparing one final glance behind her at the weapons she left behind in the pit.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I CAN GET MARRIEEEEED. I probably destroyed my stats at work on Thursday as I refused to go back on the phone until they passed the damn bill in the Australian Parliament. There was a bit of ugly crying, I won't lie. But here's a chapter! hoorayimuseful.tumblr.com for updates, and renders/art related to the fics.

The dark tunnels finally opened up to a wide expanse, with a flurry of chaotic activity. From down here the haze gave the sky a darker, almost green hue but it looked no less threatening. There was what appeared to be a small river carving up the landscape, that looked like molten gold. Lightning winced as she watched a few souls get thrown into it, coating them with the essence of their transgressions.

Fang gave the storm above a hard glare and then turned her gaze over the plains. "Circle of Greed. Etro, this place is even more desolate than I thought." She muttered, trying to figure out their next destination. They screamed and thrashed about, but no relief would come. "Rygdea, any ideas?"

"I don't know  _Oerba_ ," Rahab retorted, "Maybe we start by trying to get through all that, and possibly get across the plains before the Thrones find us."

"Thrones, what? Oh, hell." Fang sighed, following his line of sight to a huge light in the sky in the distance. "He's come to sort us out for what happened in Dis, I take it?"

Rygdea merely hummed in response, checking his weapons. Lightning felt for a weapon that wasn't there, and Sazh shook his head as he moved alongside her. "It's corporeal, barista girl. Just call the weapon like Fang showed you before, and it will return."

The pinkette scoffed at the name and rolled her eyes. "I don't even know if I'm human anymore, let alone a barista."

"You can still make a coffee can't you?" Sazh retorted with a grin. Lightning couldn't help but laugh quietly at his attitude. He was not at all what she expected for a death god. He was hardly formal and even had a fatherly quality to him that she found herself comforted by. Until she remembered who he was, what he was and where they all were.

"I doubt there'll be much room for making coffee in hell when all this is said and done." She said with a sigh, her mood returning to the more melancholic. Sazh winced and scratched at his beard with a hum, watching Fang with a curious gaze.

"Considering what you're looking like at the moment, I doubt you'll be one of the shades down there pushing a rock around." He quipped, gesturing to the armless souls in the field, desperately shoving their chests against a boulder, trying to bash it into the others like they were fighting. Lightning said nothing and stared down at her hands. They had remained human-looking since the tower, and the ice cold feeling in her chest had settled down.

The pinkette noticed that Fang had been staying close with Vanille since the caverns, wary about leaving her side. She understood completely, but it still didn't stop her from feeling a little bitter about it. There was a real possibility that it was still the obligation of the collar around the demon's neck that was the only reason she was still following this through. Not anything to do with any desire to help, to do the right thing.

Her chest burned with the realisation, and it caused her to clutch her fist against it in hurt. Lightning never felt more alone and missed her sister terribly. She thought about all the times she let work get the best of her, or spending too much time with studying to even just sit on the balcony with a tea and her sibling, talking about life. Even the trivial arguments over chores or clothing. Even remembering the last time she saw her sister, was when she was crying and slamming the door was preferable to the literal hell she found herself in now.

"Hey," Fang's voice called gently, bringing the pinkette out of her thoughts. Lightning felt moisture on her face and realised she had been crying. The others had moved on ahead to keep their distance, with the demon was the only one who remained, stepping closer and tilting her jaw up gently. "What's going on in that beautiful head of yours, hm?"

"N-nothing, it's nothing." Lightning responded sharply, her tone a little harsher than she intended. Fang frowned and leant forward, forcing her eye contact. The demon inhaled sharply at the feelings that assaulted her mind as she touched her, the overwhelming sorrow. There were no barriers present between them, and Fang knew it was coming from the human. She brushed the pink hair from her face.

"Light, what is this? This… Feeling? What's wrong?" Fang didn't really need to ask, she knew it intrinsically. It was the same feeling of despair she felt whenever she thought about her life before. She cradled the pinkette's face in her hands and stroked the tears away with her thumbs. "We're going to get through this, ok? We're going to rescue your sister, and attempt to not doom reality in the process."

"And then what? Where will I end up afterwards? What will I even become by the end of this?  _Look. At. Me._ " Lightning snapped, stepping back out of Fang's reach. Her heart ached at the loss of warmth but her despair was too great. "My soul is destined to wind up here once she's free. You will still be able to roam, but I will be cast down here to one of these circles. For eternity."

Fang stepped forward, refusing to surrender any ground and took her jaw tightly. "The pact isn't written in stone. It asks for payment at the end. You're assuming I'm going to ask for your soul."

"Nothing else holds value for a demon."

The brunette looked like she'd been slapped. Her face fell and she clenched her teeth. "Nothing else holds value… You really believe that after everything we've been through so far? All we are is just a bunch of mindless creatures out to devour the souls of the corrupted, and that's it?"

Lightning's lips parted as if to say something, only to be silenced by a bruising kiss from the demon. She felt the strangest sensations, as if she could taste the emotions in the kiss itself. Anger, frustration, fear… And something else buried beneath it. Something that was more than desire, and something that she found herself hanging onto. The demon pulled back slightly enough to speak, though kept pressed against her like she was out to steal Lightning's oxygen.

"You say that like you yourself don't hold value to me, Claire Farron," Fang growled against her lips, her voice husky and vaguely threatening.

"I..." Anything the pinkette was going to say was cut off by a shadow overhead. They both looked up and Fang immediately paled.

Rygdea drew his blade and pulled Vanille close. "Throne!"

Fang frantically looked around for anywhere to hide and there was nowhere. Vast plains stretched out in every direction and she knew they'd already been seen. She grabbed Lightning and dragged her back to the others as the shadow descended.

"Fuck. No time to get to cover. There's only going to be one way out of this." Fang panted as she ran, and Lightning sped up her pace, keeping up with the demon.

"Good. I'm getting royally sick of hearing about these things without getting to put my sword in one." The pinkette spat, wrenching her arm free to draw a sigil in the air. She reached in and pulled out her blade ready for the inevitable fight. Lightning did a double-take at the weapon, as it was no longer the curved scythe of Odin but a corrupted version, black and dripping with ink. She vowed to have words with Vanille later about that and tightened her grip. "Come on, Fang. Let's do this."

The brunette nodded and shot her wrists out, extending her fingers for claws that didn't come. "What the hell?" She questioned in disbelief, flicking her wrists repeatedly, trying to coax the shift in form but nothing happened. "Fuck's sake... Rygdea, the Throne must have dampeners!"

Her old friend quirked a very demonic eyebrow at her as he tilted up his golden mask to reveal an endless void where the rest of his face should have been. "I can assure you, he don't have shit, girly."

 _What is going on then?_ Fang thought with a panic, pulled her lance from a glowing portal as the throne hit the ground. "Shit. Of course, it had to be fucking Alexander," She groaned and brandished her lance with an exasperated glare at the weapon. It felt useless in her hands compared to the size of the Throne.

It stood silently, waiting, staring. Still very imposing in size even if Titan could crush it in one hand. Its white body lay in stark contrast to the dark plains, the plated armour seeming to shine brightly even without a proper light source. He wore a flaming crown on his head and what looked like armaments on his shoulders.

Alexander swung his blade, faster than any of them anticipated for something so huge and bulky. It split the ground as it landed, sending the group scattering. Rygdea let off a few fireballs to try to slow it down, and took to the air with his massive wings. The Throne moved and swatted him from the air, sending him crashing to the dirt.

"Ryg!" Fang cried out, snarling at Alexander and racing forward to get him out of harm's way. He looked broken, the golden mask had fallen to the ground. His armour had buckled on the torso where he was struck and he took rasping breaths.

"I'm fine, Fang," Rahab hissed, pushing her backwards, "Go help your girl."

The demon nodded and turned back to find Lightning dodging Alexander's attacks with finesse, before swinging back around and slashing at his enormous hand. Vanille and Sazh were throwing whatever they could muster at the Throne, but nobody was gaining any ground against him. Fang shot forward and deflected the massive sword away from her sister, the impact jarring her wrists. The pinkette landed beside her, breathing heavily.

"Etro, he's too big." She panted, holding onto her side. Fang glanced at her pointed at the Throne.

"Then call something  _bigger_. It's all in there, and ready to go now that Vanille has unlocked the bindings on your soul."

Alexander held a hand up and a white flare burst from his palm. All bar Lightning managed to get out of the way in time. She screamed in agony as the light blast burnt her flesh. She threw up a shield to lessen the impact but the damage was already done. Fang caught her as she fell to her knees, looking over the charred flesh in a panic.

She saw Alexander line up another shot and threw her hands up in instinctively. The burning holy light didn't get close, bouncing off a shield that the demon had made. The others stared in disbelief as she lowered her hand, looking at her fingers like they didn't belong on her own body. "Light! I can't shield and heal at the same time, you gotta heal yourself... Shit, how can I... Uh, try to focus on your injury in reverse, so you can visualize the skin fixing itself." She said in a hurried breath. The human tried to work through the pain and concentrate, calling on the memories and powers of old to repair the damage.

When Fang looked back at the woman in her arms, she found the skin mostly healed, and nothing but a deep, dark fury written all over the pinkette's face. Lightning pushed the demon off her and stood, clutching at her arm that was still in the process of knitting back together.

She roared in rage and swung her hands forward, massive obsidian shards erupting from the ground around the Throne and piercing its armour. The pinkette let her anger build before unleashing a torrent of her namesake through the shards, electrifying the metal plating covering Alexander. It let out a bellow that was far from angelic in sound and brought its massive sword down.

Lightning took the opportunity to run up the blade, bringing her own around and allowing a darkness to protrude from it. She swung hard, cutting into the Throne's neck and pulling back as a visceral black blood sprayed from the wound. It drenched her from head to foot. The pinkette landed hard on the ground and dropped her sword as she shook from the exertion and the feelings coursing through her at the sight of the blood.

It was all she could do to not drop to her knees and start licking it off her hands. The smell was intoxicating and she shuddered hard at the scent of it. How much had she been corrupted already to be thinking like this? "Fang... Get. This. Off. Me." She growled, balling her fists and closing her eyes. Some of the Throne's blood had gotten on her face and before she knew what she was doing, her tongue was licking it from her lips. Suddenly a torrent of water saturated her from nowhere, and she whirled around to find a sheepish looking brunette giving her an awkward wave.

"Wow. Didn't even think I was capable of... Etro this is weird." Fang muttered before shaking herself from her thoughts and rushed over to the pinkette. "You alright, Lightning? Damn that was incredible."

"Thanks," Lightning responded with a shaky breath. "I don't know if I could have held out much longer."

"I think the same can be said for all of us, Sunshine. The blood of an angel is uh... Highly prized amongst us and... Gods it smells good. Fuck. We better get out of here before one of us, or all of us gorges ourselves stupid." She said, casting an uneasy eye at her sister.

"Speak for yourselves..." Sazh grumbled from his spot and folded his arms. He stalked over and focused his own energies to heal what was left of Lightning's injuries. When she gave him a curious look, he chuckled. "Death doesn't always take. Sometimes it gives."

Fang helped Rygdea up and did the same to him, healing his injuries. His eyebrows shot up in surprise at the glow that came from her hands. "Ragnar... Yun... That's..."

She narrowed her eyes and thought about an idea, running the glowing hand over his face. He inhaled sharply at the odd tingling across his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut to try to rid the feeling, but felt his mask being removed.

"There's that ugly mug I've missed..." Fang whispered with a gentle smile. Rygdea opened his eyes, looking at her with a confused expression. She gave the mask a clean with her sari and then held it up. Rahab immediately looked away, terrified of his own reflection, but a blue iris caught his gaze and he looked back. His face wasn't sunken, deformed or leathered but smooth and human looking. Just like he was when he was in the Seraphim.

"Yun... How...?"

"Dunno," she admitted with a shrug. "Never thought to try it until now. I don't know what it means but... Let's run with it for now."

Vanille skipped over and put her hands over her mouth. "Rygdea! You look..." She trailed off and settled for a squeal, wrapping her arms around his neck. Fang stood up and dusted herself off, sharing a glance at the death god. Sazh's expression remained impassive, but she could see his mind going into overdrive.

Lightning smiled at the two demons showing affection and nudged the brunette with her elbow. "I see you do good work." She joked, wanting to keep a hold of this lightened mood. Joy was fleeting in Hell, but moments like this were a salve for her hurting soul. The demon grinned, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked distracted, and lost in thought. To avoid any further scrutiny from the human, Fang slipped her hand briefly into the human's and squeezed it gently before gesturing to keep pressing forward. Lightning nodded and moved past her, continuing on through the desolate plains.

Fang frowned and scratched at the spot on her chest where her collarbones met once again. It had felt weird ever since the glutton's cavern and her wings itched terribly. She wrapped her wings around her shoulders and immediately paused as something caught her eye. The demon slowly unfurled them again and stared in disbelief.

"Impossible…" She whispered, reaching out a shaking hand to run along the membrane. There was the slightest down covering the skin, black but with a few splashes of colour patterned across the surface… Just like she used to have as a Seraph. Feathers were starting to come through, replacing the tattered leather of demonic wings. Vanille's hand came into view, startling Fang. The redhead stroked the down carefully in wonder, turning her gaze up to her sister. The demon shook her head in confusion.

"Never mind what Lightning is becoming… What the bloody hell is happening to me?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter update! I'm packing between now and new year for the house move in Jan, so updates may start to be a little more sporadic as we head into the festive season. I had a little too much fun with Fang on the artwork for this chapter.

Toxic steam rose from the nearby slush that only vaguely resembled a river, causing Lightning to gag. Countless wails and groans filled the air from the souls within the muck, boiling in agony. The sky was black from this far down, ash blanketing the sky. Not even the Thrones would have visibility here.

"What… Is this place?" She asked, horrified at the scene before her. Sazh came up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"This is the Circle of Anger, where the river Styx lay. Here the souls of those driven by anger reside, eternally drowning in their own venom. We're going to have to cross it, to get to the city of Haerii. The capital of Hell."

Anger indeed, Lightning noted with the air tasting thick with it. A bitter flavour that left a tightness in her chest and her fingers kept twitching into fists. A hand slipped into her own and she glanced down, finding Fang's fingers curling around hers.

"Focus on your breathing, and focus on Serah. This place will… Quicken anyone's temper.  _Especially_ yours." The demon explained, finding slight enjoyment out of the outrage in the pinkette's expression. "Now now, I've seen you lose your shit back on the surface before all of this started, when I'd grace your café with my presence. You have got to learn to relax." Fang said with a smirk, receiving a sardonic glare in response.

"Really, Fang?" Lightning drawled, eyeballing their surroundings. "I am somewhere deep within the bowels of Hell, caught somewhere between a demon and a demigod, who knows what the fuck I'm going to wind up as by the end of this, to hopefully rescue my sister and not doom all life everywhere in the process. But ok, sure. I'll attempt to fit  _relaxation techniques_  into my schedule."

"I… Honestly can't tell if that's sarcasm anymore," Fang replied, biting her lip in amusement. The smell of the river's toxic mush suddenly blew towards them, and she clamped her hand over her mouth and nose. "Etro, there are times when I really wish you hadn't taken the barrier off my senses, Light. Now would definitely be one of them."

They approached the river to find a massive boat moored to the dock, souls trying in vain to claw their way up the body of the vessel. Lesser demons speared them if they got too high, sending them flailing back into the river below.

"So what now?" Lightning asked, folding her arms as she eyed the ship. The death god stepped forward with a slight nod of his head and moved to the edge of the docks. Sazh tensed his shoulders and clenched his fist, a scythe forming in his hand from a flurry of black smoke. He stepped forward and took a breath, before slamming the weapon against the dock.

"Raspatil, guardian of the Styx, show yourself. We seek passage across the river into Haerii."

A guttural sound came from the deck above them, and the sound of a body dragging along the surface had everyone bar the death god stepping back a few paces. The demon Sazh was addressing came into view, slithering on half a body of a great serpent, his upper body covered in claws and limbs of souls jutting out at every which angle.

"Tsazcatzlroi… I was wondering if I'd ever see your wretched face again… Still living in the delusion of your true nature, I see." The river guardian hissed, a smug tone in his voice. "The only reason I give you the passage you seek is that  _He_  wills it so. If it were up to me I'd cast you into the river with the rest of them for abandoning your post."

Sazh's eyes narrowed at his words. There would be no reason for Pulse to help them. Which meant too many things that concerned him. They were left with little choice in the matter, however- as there was no other way to cross the river without succumbing to its depths. He gestured for the others to follow, stepping up the boardwalk onto the deck of the massive vessel. "Mind yourselves ladies and demons. I got a bad feeling we're heading straight into a trap."

There were souls tied up to various parts of the ship, some used as decoration, others used just because. Their rasping cries went ignored by the group as they walked past, the pinkette trying desperately to block them out. She found herself growling at some of them, baring her teeth in anger. They shied away from her and averted their gaze, fearful of the angry demonic looking woman.

The ship lurched as it moved away from the docks, Lightning happy to be on the move. A slithering sound drew her attention to find Raspatil circling her with a contemplative expression. "I must say, human… If I can even still call you that… Your anger is delicious and well suited to this place. Once you die, I will lay claim to your soul. You will be a fine addition to the poisonous waters of the Styx."

Lightning tightened her grip on the corrupted blade and moved to swing out, her arm being caught by the brunette who appeared beside her. "Calm, please. Trying to murder our only route to Haerii is not smart."

The pinkette glared at her. Did she not hear what was said? The low chuckle from Raspatil only served to make her mood darken considerably. She felt bound within her rage, unable to do anything to satisfy her. Lightning kicked at the foot of a straggling soul with a snarl and stalked off to the bow of the ship. She looked out across the turbulent waters as the boat travelled over the screaming souls and ground her teeth. She didn't have time for any of this. Endless travelling, she wished she could just have the last of her wings grow in properly so she could drop off the edge and into the void, save Serah and get her own eternal damnation over with.

Her jaw clenched as she heard Fang clearing her throat behind her. "Are you really that convinced that you're going to wind up here when we're finished?"

Lightning heard the question, and reminded herself that losing her temper in the Circle of Anger was probably the stupidest idea imaginable. "What else am I to think at this point? Look at what is happening to me, look at what I'm becoming. I can't go back to making coffee after this, even if I didn't look like Hell incarnate."

Fang stepped around to move into her line of vision and took her hand gently. It was then that Lightning really noticed the brunette's wings for the first time since the cavern of the gluttons and her jaw dropped. "What is…" She trailed off and ran her fingers along the membrane of one of Fang's wings, now covered in black feathers. There were stripes of brilliant orange and blue hidden amongst the dark plume that reminded her of the skin of the demon's other form.

"Something is changing, Light. I… I don't know what this means," She paused as a shiver wracked her body when the pinkette had found a particularly sensitive spot on her wing, "But I do know that this thing around my neck isn't what's keeping me here. You are." She finished, tapping at the collar. She ran her fingers through Lightning's pale hair, careful to avoid the horns to not break her attention. "You saved my sister, we're going to save yours. And then I'm going to save you."

Lightning bit back a sob in her throat and looked away. "What about the pact? Aren't you meant to take my soul when all is done?"

"I'll settle for your heart, if you're willing to give it."

The words cut through the pinkette's awareness like a knife and her eyes darted back to meet the red irises waiting for her. She swore Fang's horns looked smaller, and there was the barest hint of green appearing in her eyes that held something warm in her gaze.

"Fang…" She breathed, reaching out and cupping her face. Leaning in for a kiss, they were interrupted by a particularly long rasp from a nearby soul tied to the front of the ship. Lightning smiled and pressed her forehead against the brunette's, unable to resist being amused at the disturbance.

"Cl… Claire…" The rasp came again, her name clear as day. Lightning's expression dropped from the sound and she gently pushed Fang out of the way. Any anger that had managed to dissipate from her system returned ten-fold as she spied the soul bound to the bow. Raspatil's laughter hissed insidiously across the deck.

"Ah, I see you've discovered my figurehead. I thought it was fitting. I wanted to make sure it was installed in time for your arrival."

Fang stared in confusion at the pinkette, watching the rage appear on her face and the red crystal forming over her arms again. Lightning glared at the wretched soul, reaching forward and ripping it from the chains it hung by. She threw it to the deck with a savage growl and the shade scrambled back in fear.

"Claire… What… What happened…?" The soul asked, giving the raging pinkette a once over.

"What happened?  _What. Happened?_  Take one look at me and figure it out for yourself, Snow! What the  _fuck_  happened to you?" She snapped, positively seething. She grabbed him by the tattered rags and lifted him up like he weighed nothing, a guttural growl in her throat.

"Nobody believed me… What I saw… When Serah… God… Someone found me, said if I gave whatever I was willing to give they'd… They'd release her. You were nowhere to be found… So, I took the deal. I don't even know if she's ok." He wailed, tears streaming down his sunken face.

"She's not. She's still bound in the Void. And you got screwed over."

Despite everything, Snow laughed bitterly. "Guess that makes two of us, Sis."

Lightning threw him down and drew her blade. "I should throw you overboard with the rest of these souls."

"Woah woah woah, Light, remember what we were talking about earlier? The anger? Raspatil is doing this on purpose. The only reason he's here is because of you." Fang said, waiting for the anger to be turned on her.

"No. I am not responsible for his stupid, thick-headed decisions." Lightning spat, blackness creeping into the edges of her vision.

"Nobody is saying you are, sweetheart," the brunette replied gently, keeping her hands held up. "But they baited him to get to you. Just like it seems to be working. Please? Just breathe."

She remembered the last conversation she had with Snow, where she wanted to throw him down the flight of stairs for even having the audacity to speak to her. The anger had overwhelmed her to the point of where she almost ran someone over on the way to work on her motorcycle after the confrontation. She was dragged into this mess against her will but Snow… He threw himself into the abyss willingly for Serah. For her sister.

Could she say the same? 

She watched as he sobbed, repeating apologies to her sister over and over. There was a whispering at the back of her skull that made the pinkette zone out a little while staring down at the husk that was Snow. It was an old voice, one of the memories, the old gods. Whispering secrets long since gone to the seas of chaos, of how to help the idiot at her feet and her in the process.

Lightning pressed her fist against her chest and drew something to the surface of her skin. The ice tear she'd pulled from Shiva. She stared down at the husk who was looking at her with mixed curiousity and fear. The pinkette crushed the tear in her hand and sent the shards shooting forward at her sister's fiancé. He gasped and threw his hands up, the crystal embedding into his forearm that shielded his face.

"Don't make me regret this, Snow." She whispered as he slowly lowered his arm, the colour beginning to return to his face.

"W-what…"

Raspatil seethed, slipping forward and wrapping his body around Lightning and squeezing. "How  _dare_  you." He hissed, constricting his body as the pinkette struggled. The river guardian swept his arms out and knocked the others away, sending them tumbling over the edge of the boat.

"No!" Lightning cried out, thrashing about in rage. Raspatil merely tightened his grip, choking the air from her lungs.

"You cannot take a soul that is mine. I will not allow it!"

The pinkette's eyes flashed dangerously, the red crystal enveloping more of her body. "Watch me." She snarled, extending wicked claws from her fingertips and slamming them against the tail that bound her. Cutting deep, Raspatil screeched in pain and loosened his grip, allowing her to drop to the deck. Lightning frantically searched the boat and found nobody in sight.

Panicking, she ran to the edge and found them all hanging onto the side of the vessel. "Fang!" She yelled out, reaching down to pull her up. A barbed tail came swinging around in her vision, the sharp talon catching her in the shoulder and dragging her backwards with a cry of agony.

"Bleed, wretched soul. I will deal with Pulse's wrath later if it means I can see you at the bottom of the Styx!" Raspatil roared. Lightning coughed blood and felt the blackness overwhelming her sight, closing in.

"You'll put her down now, Raspatil. Or the only one going in that damned river is you." Fang's voice called out behind her, and the pinkette watched as his laughter suddenly choked in his throat. She turned as best she could, eyes widening as the brunette's feet hit the deck. Her black feathered wings were on proud display and the weapons she held, while looking similar to her lance, were dual-wielded with chains hanging at the base of the blade. Gone were the horns and flame-ridden cracks in her skin and her eyes were once again a brilliant jade.

The river guardian slithered back away from Lightning, outraged. "Impossible. You blaspheme this place with that apparition! You shouldn't be capable of returning to that form."

Fang rolled her eyes and lurched forward, throwing the spear in her hand hard. It flew through the air and slammed into Raspatil's eye, causing him to fall backwards off the side of the boat with a roar. The souls below in the river swarmed all over him, trying to use him as a raft to escape the venom. They only succeeded in dragging him down with them.

The brunette gave a satisfied hum before racing over to the pinkette, who was staring at her in awe. "What? I uh, got something on my face?" Fang asked with a nervous grin. Lightning didn't respond, merely just drank in her appearance.

Had it been that long since she saw the demon looking as close to human as she could muster? How long had they been down here for that she managed to forget what she looked like without the hellish, jagged lines along her face and body? The pinkette took a glance down at her own skin, seeing the cracks and red crystals all over her body. She suddenly felt insanely self-conscious and ripped her gaze away.

Fang pursed her lips and knelt down, placing her hands over the horrible wound in the pinkette's shoulder. A subtle glow appeared around her fingertips as she coaxed the skin to heal. "Hey, are you ok?" She asked quietly, bringing the pinkette's face around by her jaw. A small nod allayed any concerns and that was enough for her.

The others climbed their way back on the deck, Rygdea groaning at the display before them. Snow stood up on shaky feet and scratched his head. "Man, I have missed a  _lot._ "

Fang kept a steady hand on Lightning's chest to keep her on the ground, feeling the woman's anger bubbling within. "Calm, Light. Don't let Raspatil's plan come to fruition."

The pinkette huffed and relaxed enough to signal she was fine to be let up. She stood slowly and dusted herself off, rolling her shoulder to test the movement. There was no fault to be found, so she took a cursory glance around the deck at the others before her eyes finally settled on Snow. He stared at her, unsettled by her appearance and scratched at his neck.

Before he could say anything, she turned on her heel and walked away, stalking to the other end of the ship away from everyone. Lightning leapt up onto the railing, aided by a gentle flap of the wings spreading wide from her back and crouched down to stare at the boiling river below. Between the crystal hardening on her body, the tail and the wings, she found this to be a far more comfortable way to perch, knowing full well the implications of how she looked. She imagined she'd be right at home with the gargoyle statues on top of the cathedral in Eden. She gave an amused huff and shook her head. Her eyes shot to the side and she sighed.

"You are an idiot." Lightning growled, not bothering to turn to face the man she knew followed her. "I can't believe you willingly threw yourself down here."

"Are you saying you're here by force?" Snow asked, his voice hesitant and smartly keeping his distance. He caught her eyes as her gaze snapped towards him and then quickly looked away.

"… No. I'm just as much of an idiot. I bound the demon… The woman that you saw with me. Forced her to bring me here so that I could try to save Serah. This was all… unplanned consequences of that decision." She answered sardonically, gesturing at herself.

Snow smiled gently, risking a little less distance until he was leant forward on the railing. "And… What I saw with the lady in blue? You getting up close and… Personal?"

"… Also an… Unplanned consequence."

The blonde nodded, wringing his hands together as he looked at his future sister-in-law out of the corner of his eye. She looked like her rage manifested, and if he was being honest, everything that he imagined her to look like when she was mad.

"The apartment is still there, I'd been looking after it before I wound up here but… Everyone thinks you and your sister are dead. It's been months you know." He paused, chuckling a little. "I refused to believe it. I thought if there was ever a reason you'd vanished it would be because you'd have gone into the fire after Serah to pull her back and lecture her about not doing her laundry."

That caused a small flurry of laughter to escape the pinkette. Well, he wasn't wrong, all things considered. Snow wondered just how similar they really were, and if that was the reason behind the elder Farron's rampant hostility towards him.

"Will you… Protect her? After this?" Lightning's quiet voice floated over to him, bringing his attention out of his thoughts. The question seemed final, and looking at her Snow could see why.

"With my life, Claire." He replied. The pinkette nodded, seemingly content with the answer. Snow placed a tentative hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn to face him. "But you're coming home too."

Lightning smiled and gave a wry laugh, turning her gaze back to the approaching city.

"We'll see, Snow. We'll see."


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In theory, this is possibly the last update on this story for the year so I am making it a fucking huuuuuuge one. Thank you for your ongoing support and kindness. 

Statues as tall as Titan loomed at the front of the soul harbour, beckoning the ship entrance to the city of Haerii. They were horned guards, a brilliant white in stark contrast to the bleak surrounds. Each held a monstrous sword, blade pointed into the earth and looked of polished marble. A mockery, or a memory of the world above.

The air was cold, a bitter wind blasted up from the lands below, with the city built on the edge of the abyss. Dark stone was meticulously crafted into buildings, like someone had taken care to ensure it was the furthest thing from Hell that the residents could create.

"The Black City. A bastardisation of the city of Valhalla above." Fang drawled, her arms folded in contempt. "Pulse caused the rebellion, and gets all nostalgic so builds this place. A way to arrogantly suggest he could run the city better than the Sanctum. A cruel, beyond fucked up joke if ever I saw it."

Snow tilted his head as he absorbed the information, glancing up at the towering statues as they passed between them. He had read and been taught in school during the boring religious classes about the war between the rebellious angels and the Maker, but never in his wildest dreams thought any of it was real. "Man, I thought it was all allegory and metaphor to behave for the adults." He muttered to himself. The demon caught his words and barked laughter, clapping him on the back.

"I bloody wish." She replied with a smirk. "But nah, I'm afraid it's all real. Mostly. The scriptures leave out some  _key points_  from what I've read."

The blonde man hummed, staring down at his rags. "Well, I wish I was more appropriately dressed to meet the King of Hell…" He sighed, causing more laughter from Fang. She snapped her fingers and he looked down, marvelling at the proper jacket, pants and boots he now found himself in. He looked back up with a dopey grin and nodded his head in thanks.

"Don't even sweat it. I think I like you. Anyone who can still crack jokes when their soul is damned has gotta be good company, right? May as well get you in something more comfortable than tattered rags." she chuckled, digging her elbow into his ribs. Lightning groaned from behind them, burying her head in her hands.

"Etro, I don't need either of you teaming up right… Now… Fang?" she trailed off, staring at the brunette with a raised eyebrow. "Your skin…"

Fang looked down to find the fiery lines beginning to reappear along her arms. "Well it was fun while it lasted," she hummed in contemplation, studying the way they split her skin with fire. Feeling the familiar horns regrowing, she turned to find the feathers falling from her wings. Vanille picked one up from the deck and watched it disintegrate.

"It's this place." She murmured, staying close to her sister. "Any changes you were going through are… reverting."

"I wonder why?" Lightning mused out loud, watching Fang's shoulders sag.

"It's because this is where we belong." The demon replied in a sad tone, hugging Vanille around the shoulders.

"Truer words, never spoken." A booming voice rang out from above them, as an incredibly long wingspan blocked out what little light there was this far down. Fang paled at the sight, clutching hold of her sister tightly. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat.

The figure landed on the deck with a hard thud, before standing tall and towering over them. Lightning tightened her grip on her weapon instinctively, moving up to the side of Fang. She saw that the demon was shaking and laid a supportive hand on her back, out of view of the new visitor.

"I can smell the soul shards of the old storm creators within this human you've brought here… And Shiva still lives within this soul husk brought back from Raspatil's river, somehow able to transcend his debt? Ragnarok, a great deal many things interest me lately. I beseech you to enlighten me."

His dark purple hair stretched over his shoulders, kept out of his face by a black headband. A lone white feather hung from the side, with a few singed edges.

Rygdea and Sazh looked about as nervous as Fang and Vanille did, and Lightning's instincts were screaming at her for once to not react. She kept her face as impassive as possible as he strode forward and gripped at the brunette by the throat, keeping a long-clawed hand close to the collar around her neck. He hissed with displeasure and gave Lightning a dangerous look.

"Binding my kin is a fascinating ploy to get you this far, human. But you will go no further." He growled, slicing through the collar clean with his talon. Fang hissed in pain, the claw piercing her skin as he ripped the collar from her neck. "There. No longer are you bound to do the bidding of this wretched human."

The brunette was unceremoniously dropped to the deck, falling to her knees with a gasp. The man turned to walk away, stopping as he heard the footsteps rushing forward behind him. Lightning raced to Fang's side, clutching at her face and whispering assurances. Placing her hand over the wound on her neck, the pinkette healed the demon's injury and looked into her fiery eyes.

"Are you ok?" She asked, not even caring about the implications of the collar being off. She just wanted to make certain that the woman was ok.

Fang nodded but remained silent, focusing on her breathing. She felt strange, to not be constricted, she felt free. Old instincts reared their ugly head and she snarled, bristling at the contact. Lightning hesitated, her hand raising back from the blue and orange skin that had blistered through to the surface the instant the collar was off. The demon paused and looked at her, as if considering.

"Sorry. I… Didn't mean that. Just feels weird to be… Yeah." Fang said quietly, leaning forward and giving a reassuring kiss to the pinkette's forehead. "We're ok, Light. I told you, the collar isn't what has been keeping me here. I've grown far too fond of your gorgeous arse. Tail and all."

Lightning clicked her tongue in exasperation, though couldn't hide the relieved smile. The expression vanished as Fang's gaze hardened, staring over her shoulder.

"So, you really do learn nothing, Yun of the Dominatio." The figure grated, his fists balling in anger. He beat his enormous wings and took to the sky. He removed a long blade from his belt and pointed it down at the pinkette. "Come,  _warrior goddess_. Come to the city of Haerii and meet your fate along with your sister." He vanished into the sky at a great speed, leaving them on the deck of the boat.

"Who was that asshole?" Snow queried, breaking the tension. Fang simply stared at the retreating figure in the distance with a set jaw.

"That, human… That was the Lord Pulse."

* * *

The ship pulled silently into the docks and they all stepped down the gangway onto the boardwalk made of carved stone. Lightning remained by Fang's side, holding onto her hand gently. The brunette welcomed the attempt at comfort and gave a small smile. She then frowned as she stared at the other wayward human in their little party and hummed.

"Still have no idea how you managed to do that, you know." She said with a nod of her head in his direction. Lightning looked puzzled and raised her eyebrow. "The whole soul shard thing. It's… Unheard of. It's one thing to be born with it, but to infuse his soul with the fragments of Shiva? I… There has never been anything like it."

Lightning contemplated it, and beckoned him over with a crook of a clawed hand. Snow gulped and moved over to her, but being sure to keep out of arms reach. "What can I do for you si…. Uh, Light?"

"Show me your arm."

He cautiously pulled it out and she winced, seeing his veins black around where the crystal embedded. "I… Didn't want to say anything to worry you. But I… It doesn't hurt. Feels ok. Feels like I could punch a hole through a wall, if I'm being honest."

Guilt seeped through Lightning's consciousness, realising that she may have inadvertently done something impossible, and irreversible to her sister's fiancé. He gripped her arm, forcing her eye contact.

"No matter what, Claire. If this gives me the strength to save Serah, I'll gladly pay the price."

Fang gave a bitter laugh and shook her head, clapping him on the shoulder as she passed. "Look around you, Snow. You really think this is worth any price?"

"For the woman I love? I'll pay any cost."

His answer caused the demon to freeze in her steps, eyes widening. For someone she remembered Lightning ranting about in the café all those months ago and his "idiot stature", his determination and stubbornness in the face of damnation was either insane or impressive. She couldn't tell.

A burning feeling was steadily growing in her chest the closer they got to the city as they walked along the docks. Fang continuously swallowed, as if the action would get rid of the growing fire in her chest. Rygdea coughed and punched his sternum with a closed fist a few times, looking very uncomfortable. They met each other's gaze and Fang felt her stomach drop.

"You feel that too, Yun?" He asked, voice tinged with a bit of nervousness. She nodded and looked over at Vanille, who looked every bit as uncomfortable. They stepped forward and suddenly fell into darkness, disappearing from view. Lightning rushed forward and found no trace of them. She looked back to find Sazh and Snow still standing there looking worried.

"Sazh, where did they go?" She asked, panic beginning to rise in her gut.

"God damn Pulse, he's taken them to the capital. This is the place for heretics after all, and who better than the three that defied the Maker himself?" He replied with a sigh, hefting his scythe in his hand. "Come on, we'll find them."

"How was he even able to remove the binding?" Lightning asked, trying to keep her levels of panic under control.

"Simple. All are beholden to him here, and he alone has the ability outside of you to break the binds of the pact."

They continued walking in silence, the path to the stronghold suspiciously quiet and devoid of other demons. "We're pretty much walking into a trap, aren't we?" Lightning muttered to herself, not expecting or needing a response. She was worried for Fang, and was surprised at how much her heart sped up when she thought about her. The pinkette chuckled wryly to herself. If only her mother could see her now. She probably didn't leave the wealth of occult knowledge in her passing so that her daughter could fall for a demon but as she used to say, "Fate weaves strange patterns in the tapestry of the cosmos."

Snow looked around and flexed his fist, watching black crystal creep along his arm until it began to encase his knuckles. His eyebrows raised at the sight, prodding them with a finger, feeling uncertain. They were sharp to touch and he nodded with a hum, at least he knew how to throw a punch.

"Hey, Sazh? What can you tell me about the war?" Lightning asked, breaking the silence. The death god sighed and began to use his scythe as a walking stick as they moved along towards the capital.

"The Maker was… Always selfish. The knowledge that he overthrew the original creator Fal'Cie was suppressed, and all of Sanctum's rules were set up to ensure nobody ever knew the truth. Bhunivelze was the all-seeing, all-powerful creator of all. The Sanctum didn't even know about this place until the dust settled and those who rebelled against them were cast into it."

He took a breath, looking up at the dark sky and continued.

"There was unrest for a long time. It had been building for centuries, like Sanctum was sitting on a powder keg ready to blow. Etro's death was just the match that lit the fuse. When Bhunivelze saw his best seraphim giving love and reverence to another, the jealous god struck her down. Caius, or Pulse as he's known now, went mad with despair over the loss of his love and took up arms against the Maker. Trouble was for the Sanctum, there were plenty that were willing to side with him."

Lightning recalled the stories Fang had regaled her with earlier and swallowed hard. Mindless sheep. That was what she had always thought of the teachings when she was younger. It was just another reason for people to not misbehave, like they needed a proverbial parent watching over them. She preferred to make her own fate, not fall on the swords of the gods and their insane whims.

Snow pondered the story and glanced up at the spires. "So wait," he said slowly, "all the religion stuff we're taught in school… The fact that demons exist in the first place was a punishment from the Maker because they had the audacity to  _love_?"

Sazh laughed and shook his head. "If ol' blue eyes here gets it… They wanted to feel as you do."

"Where do you come into it then? Were you of the Seraphim too?" The blonde man asked.

"No. A few of us were… Outside of that realm of influence. Those born of the creators. They called us L'Cie. We hid when our creators were cast down, at their request. It's all a poor case of irony. Humans would never have survived in the world of the likes of Titan and the old creator gods, so Bhunivelze's own rebellion paved the way for mankind to flourish. But now they're all unwitting and unwilling pawns in the ongoing war against the sanctum."

Lightning was only half-listening as they spoke, her mind being pulled away with a tightness in her chest. If she focused, she could sense Fang and from what she was picking up, the demon and the others were not ok. Her pace quickened as they entered the building, drawing her blades and taking off suddenly down the hall. Sazh picked up his weapon and gestured for Snow to follow.

"At least we can use the girl as a bloodhound, let's go!"

* * *

" _What's happened?" Yun said, startled by the sudden commotion outside._

" _It's war, Yun of the Dominatio. Caius of the Ballads has made a call for vengeance for the death of Etro." The cherubim stammered, nervous and moving onto down the street. Her pulse sped up through her veins, the prospect of all-out war both terrifying and exciting all at the same time. She had spoken with Caius long into the night over the centuries, coasting on thermals high above the world below and discussed the growing unrest within the Sanctum. Now it seemed that it was all coming to a head._

_She picked up her halberds and made for the door._

" _Yun! Where are you going?"_

_Her sibling's worried voice called her back, halting her steps. She turned and rushed over, placing her weapons on her belt._

" _It's war, 'Nille. They've finally done it. Caius has snapped and is roaring for our freedom."_

_The Dia merely gripped onto her sister's sari, holding her in place. "You can't be seriously thinking of taking up arms against the Sanctum, are you mad? It's a death wish!"_

_Fang grit her teeth and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "I can't even say I love you without fearing the wrath of the Maker. I should be able to care for my own family without a jealous god feeling like it's a slight against him. The humans on the earth below get to ignore him, turn their backs on him, blaspheme his name and Bhunivelze does nothing! Yet we are here to be eternally subservient to his ego." She paused, taking a shuddering breath and hugged her sibling tight._

" _I can't do it anymore, 'Nille. But know that I do love you. Always." Yun whispered against the red hair before turning and running from the home before the younger girl could react. Vanille stood in the silence of her quarters shaking, tears trailing down her face._

"…  _Maker damn you, Oerba Yun Fang." The redhead hissed, staring up at the ceiling to try to clear her vision. "Maker damn you." Vanille picked up her weapon and chased her sister down the hall._

* * *

All Fang could feel was burning, as she opened her eyes and found herself entombed in flame. She struggled against the chains around her wrists and neck, keeping her bound to the floor as the fire licked at her skin. She clenched her jaw until she could hear her teeth creaking in her head. She refused to give Pulse the satisfaction of hearing her pain.

Her thoughts went to Lightning. Even with the collar free of her neck, she still had feelings for the human. That was something she was worried about, that the collar merely manufactured them for the sake of obedience. But no. What she felt was real, and terrifying. Given that she was trapped within the flames, what a cruel fate that she would finally discover what it was like to truly feel as the humans do and be cast into a burning tomb for eternity.

* * *

" _Hail, Ryg! Slow down!" Fang called out, slowing to a jog with her lances in hand. Her fellow Seraph seemed to be visibly shaking with anger, clenching his fists trying to crush invisible bones in his hands. "Are you ok friend?" She asked, concerned. He turned to her with tears lining his eyes._

" _He isn't coming with. He refuses to leave the Maker's side. He says that Caius is irrational in his anger and will lead us all to ruin." Rahab said simply, his white wings twitching with rage._

" _You talking about Raines? I always thought he'd be the fight-your-destiny kind of seraph." Yun replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, we've got a freedom to secure. Maybe he'll see reason when we're all no longer slaves."_

_Rahab took a few extra seconds to stare up at the window outside his quarters before hanging his head. "Yes. Let's leave. Either way, I will be free of this accursed city."_

_The duo ran off and headed in the direction of the conflict. They came upon Sanctum elite who barred their path forward. "Hold! If you are of the Maker, you will aid us in ridding Valhalla of the heretics. If you are siding with the heathen, you'll burn with them."_

" _If I burn, at least I'll be in fine company!" Yun replied, pulling her halberds forward with a flurry of motion. Rahab laughed and unsheathed his sword._

" _It's a fine day to die indeed." He replied wryly and roared as the Sanctum guards rushed them. They parried the sword thrusts and spun back-to-back so as no one could get any ground near them. They fought ferociously and managed to push them back. One wrong move on the guard's path had him moving directly into the brunette's weapon. It speared him through the torso and he looked at it in disbelief as he slid to the ground._

_All was silent for a few moments as the reality rushed through Yun's mind. She had just killed a fellow Seraph. "No goin' back now then," She muttered, looking at the blood on her hands._

_Rahab finished off the other guard and clapped her on the back. "We knew how this would end, Yun. We will be free one way or another by the time the moon rises."_

* * *

Rahab always hated cramped spaces. Especially now, in this tomb drenched in fire that burned his skin over and over without relief. He grunted in e an fort to free himself of his binds but it was to no avail. What a pathetic end to such a turbulent eternity.

Rygdea spared a thought to his old friend, and wondered if Cid ever watched him from Valhalla. He certainly hoped he wasn't watching now. Gods forbid he admit Raines was possibly right.

* * *

_Yun was startled by the whip that came into view, tearing the seraph guard off her and sending him flying. She stood up and spat blood on the ground, wiping it from her mouth. Her eyebrows raised as she saw the approaching figure and her eyes lit up._

" _Vanille!"_

" _Wine." She replied curtly, eliciting an arch of the brunette's eyebrow in confusion. "Wine, some kind of substance that inebriates the humans. It looks fun. I want to try it, if we somehow make it out of here alive. You owe me, Oerba Yun Fang. I can't believe I'm following you into madness." Vanille dragged her whip back and hooked it onto her belt with an exasperated sigh._

_Her older sister simply hugged her tightly and kissed her on the top of the head. "I will get you whatever you want when we're free. We can go wherever, do whatever, be whomever."_

_Vanille held onto the brunette like her life depended on it. In a way, it did. As they ran off towards the capital, they didn't let go of each other's hands._

* * *

The redhead struggled against the confines and sobbed. She'd prefer to go back to Dis if this was how she was set to spend eternity. At least she was oblivious. What was any of it worth if they all wound up separated after everything anyway?

"Fang..."

Vanille stifled her sobs when she heard a loud bashing against the stone above her. Repetitive, growing louder and more pronounced with each hit. She turned away with a scream as the stone suddenly exploded everywhere, and a huge fist punched through into the tomb. It was plated with what looked like ice crystals, and it ripped the stone from above her.

"Vanille!"

Her head tilted up to find Lightning jumping down into the tomb, wincing at the flames that grew around her. The pinkette raced over and tried to shield her from the fire. Snow pushed forward and wrapped his hands around the chains and pulled hard, snapping them from their confines. Even he stared in disbelief as the chains came loose and disintegrated in his hands.

"You have the power of the gods now Snow, don't let it go to your head." Lightning responded with a dry tone, helping the redhead up from her prison. They leapt from the small space and Vanille dropped to her knees on the ground, relieved to find something that wasn't burning flames but cool, hard stone. Looking around she found a long hallway that stretched for miles in either direction, lined with tombs on each side.

"How many of the Fallen are trapped here for daring to feel, for being naïve enough to follow a madman." Sazh sighed, helping the small demon up to her feet.

"Where's Fang? Rygdea?" She asked, dusting herself off and looking around. Reliving the memories of their mistakes was enough, she wanted her sister, and wanted out of this place.

"Working on it…" Lightning muttered, trying to focus on finding the other two. Flames bit at her mind every time she tried to reach out, hampering her efforts. She pinched the bridge of her nose carefully, mindful of the claws she now sported. "Fuck this. Sazh, you've got about thirty seconds to convince me why re-enacting the dungeon in Dis is a bad idea."

"What? What are you… You're going to open them all up. For the love of… I have no say in this anymore, but you're dealing with the consequences come what may, human."

"Noted." She replied wryly and nudged Snow. "Think we can open up all these cans in a hurry?"

Snow grinned and flexed his arm, watching the ice crystals suddenly lurch from his limb into a savage looking blade.

"Race you."

They took off at a blinding speed, Snow clawing through every tomb and Lightning electrifying the chains that bound the victims as they passed. It wasn't just other Fallen, but countless souls that were also sent to this circle for blasphemy, heresy and other acts of condemnation against the Maker above.

Once they'd finished blasting the tops off every burning tomb, it was easier to reach for Rygdea and Fang. She pointed out where the other demon lay for Sazh and Snow to collect him, then took off to rescue Fang.

* * *

_The first thing she remembered was fire. The black sands welcomed her with a searing embrace as she plummeted. Yun looked up when she had the strength to move and found herself in shambles. Her skin was molten, scorched and broken. Her wings in tattered pieces. Worst of all was the hollow void in her chest, her soul ripped from her as she was cast out._

" _Yun! Yun!" A rasping voice cried out, and she slowly turned her head. Rahab crawled over and helped her up. His armour was corroded and still burning in places, but neither felt any of its heat. His face was just as damaged._

" _Where... Where are we?" she asked, her eyes adjusting to the darkness._

" _I... I don't know."_

_They searched for weeks until they found Vanille. By that point, their wounds had started to heal but still left the fiery cracks in their wake, like they would forever be burning for their crimes. The sisters held each other in both relief and sorrow, crying tears of flame. The redhead looked different, the lines on her skin black like tar._

_They would travel the wastes together for a few more months, coming across other Fallen in their travels. A solemn nod and silence were all that would pass between them, and the trio would move on. It was there that they came across Titan and learnt the true nature of their benevolent Maker._

_When they came to the fledgeling city of Dis, that was when Yun's rage truly began to manifest. There, they found the Thrones watchful gaze and it settled on them the instant they set foot through the gates. In an instant, Vanille vanished from beside her and imprisoned because of what she could do. Anyone of the Dynameis caste was capable of unlocking soul fragments, which was too greater risk to be kept unchained according to the Sanctum._

_Over time, her grief manifested in strange ways. Her skin fell away, leaving strange blue and orange marks in place, horns began to curve from her skull and her teeth sharpened, long canines that would strike terror in others whenever she would snarl. Her other name suddenly became more fitting. Yun fell away, and only Fang remained. She vanished into the wastes, leaving Rygdea in Dis where he wanted to remain._

_When she came across Caius some centuries later, he was solemn, quiet, and contemplative. But no less angry. He sent her to Taejin's Tower, where Shiva would show the new path. The sustenance of souls. The power that she could wield. Fang lost herself in the teachings, the intoxication of just blindly following orders again. Caius had a plan, after all. Vengeance against the remnants of Etro. The humans._

_Shiva taught her how to suppress her demonic appearance. She held Fang close as the demon cried, the first time she'd seen her former appearance in close to a millennium. Her grief quickly turned to anger at what was taken from her, and she vowed to follow through with Caius' will with a righteous rage._ _They took on new names, the Lord Pulse bestowing newly given titles with the same reverence as they received their first weapons in Valhalla. The demons took on new territories, though Fang initially refused. She spent too much time on the surface to have to worry about land disputes, but she was still given legions to command she made it so they were self-sufficient._

_The first soul she took was exquisite. The way he fell to his knees, prostrated himself at her mercy and willingly gave her everything… It was a rush. The hunt was sometimes exciting, sometimes boring, Fang particularly enjoyed the ones that struggled and fought in the beginning. They were the most fun to break._

_The decades turned to centuries, centuries to millennia, civilisations rose and fell, some even by her own doing. The modern age fascinated the demon, with all the new technology that allowed her kind to spread like never before. Information was rife and rarely was she left wanting._ _Various loopholes were discovered for more of the Fallen to reside on the surface, in hidden pockets behind the veil. Home away from home, as they would often joke bitterly. When she was Below, she spent her time with Titan, learning the stories of old. Finding out the truth about their fraudulent leader._

_Fang often wondered how much of the veil was really in front of their own eyes, with all she had learnt about Bhunivelze. Too many of her kin had embraced their new roles, and she often found herself falling into the pleasures of corruption, the feeling of exhilaration when she destroyed a soul and took them from the Maker's light._

_By chance, she stumbled into a café while pondering the nature of her existence, and sought to order something off the menu. It had become a habit to indulge in human rituals such as this, as it provided ample hunting grounds. It was fun for her, to throw out a little flirtatious banter, and watch the wretched humans trip over themselves afterwards. Then she just reeled them in._

_She ordered the beverage known as a caramel latte from the menu board with a sultry wink and a lop-sided grin. The scowl she received in response was not something she was prepared for, as the barista rolled her eyes and silently moved to make the order._

_It felt like a cold, hard slap in the face for Fang. After countless centuries of everyone falling to her will, the first sign of resistance stunned her. She searched the human's mind and soul for anything she could use- desire for wealth, power, success… And came up empty. It was as if the woman had no desire, no ambition whatsoever._

_Then their eyes met and Fang watched as the pinkette gave the subtlest of glances over the demon's form before going back to her coffee machine. Ah, there it was. The smallest flickering of desire, and one that surprised Fang. That of all things she could offer the human, her own self... It was not an angle she had ever considered._

_A devious smirk crossed her lips as she took her order and thanked the human, and emphasized a sway of her hips as she walked away. She knew the pink-haired barista was watching, and she hummed with contentment. This would be the first amount of real fun she'd had in a long, long time._

_The months passed and still, she was rejected time and time again. Anyone else would have given up the quarry and moved on. But not Fang. There was something about this one, her soul drew her in like a bee to a flower. Every now and again she would catch the human in a marginally more amicable mood and had found the occasional reciprocated flirt. It would always be around the time the demon was about to give up, and she wondered just who was luring who in._

_When Fang had gotten wind of foreboding news from Below, she knew her time on the surface was drawing to an end before she would be summoned back. She stood outside the cafe, watching the pinkette working alone inside, dishevelled and distressed. That would be it. Just one more soul and she'd head back for a while. With the human looking that distracted, it would be the perfect time to make her move. With a deep breath, she steeled herself and quietly entered the café._

" _Showtime."_

* * *

The demon looked up through the flames as Lightning dropped into the tomb and her eyes lit up.

"You are a sight to behold, love." She whispered, grimacing as the pinkette cut the chains from her body. Lightning wrapped her arms around the demon, lifting her out of the compact prison and away from the fire.

"We have to stop meeting like this." The pinkette joked; her own attempt at humour despite the circumstances somehow managing to bring a smile to Fang's face between the heaving sobs. Vanille raced over and flung her arms around her sister and held on tight as they both cried.

"I'm so sorry 'Nille… For everything… We just replaced one set of chains for another and-"

"No. It's not your fault. It isn't. It was my choice to follow you, and I'd make it a thousand times over. We could at least say we attempted to fight and not hid in cowardice."

Fang brushed the red hair from her sister's eyes and looked at the corrupted face sadly. A gentle squeeze on her shoulder drew her gaze up to meet the red-hued eyes. The two women were helped up by a clawed hand, and Fang was overcome with shyness, avoiding her gaze while Vanille ran off to check on Rygdea. Lightning gave Fang's injured form a once-over and glanced down at her wrist.

"You need to… Uh…" She trailed off, making a gesture. "Your wounds are more than what I can heal and we need to move."

Fang nodded and bent forward as Lightning brought her arm up to her face. She prodded at the crystal and hummed. "Probably going to be a mild problem there."

The pinkette shook her head with a laugh, tilting her head back to expose her jugular. "You know they have stories about this, back home right? Vampires and the like?"

The demon laughed and held her breath as she watched the pinkette draw a clawed hand down the side of her neck, drawing blood. "Yeah, I've read them. Not too far off from the truth really, when you think about it. It's probably where half the stories came from, us all mucking about in the human world." She mused, pulling her close and pushing her mouth against the pinkette's throat with a groan. Fang felt her wounds knit closed and the burn marks fade as she imbibed, pausing occasionally to lick and kiss at the woman's neck. Her heart raced in her chest as she held Lightning close and felt how fast the pinkette's pulse was through the veins in her neck.

Once Fang had her fill she kept kissing along the skin, feeling that connection return. She sensed all of the thoughts and feelings running through Lightning's mind like a river and let her mind open up so that the human she held knew she was there, and present. The demon slid her hands down to take the human's hands in her own.

"I was… Thinking a lot while I was… You know, on fire. Was it… Was it all bad?" She asked hesitantly, drawing Lightning's attention with a quirk of her eyebrow. "The months I kept pestering you, in the café."

The pinkette smiled and kissed the edges of the demon's mouth and up along her jawline. "No, not all bad. You were often the highlight of my week." She whispered, pulling back slightly and nodding in the direction of the exit. "Let's catch up with the others, I want to get out of this city before Pulse realises that we've just opened up the jailhouse."

Considering the amount of noise that was coming from the tombs and the hallways beyond, Fang had her doubts that he wouldn't be aware. Sure enough, that familiar dark wingspan blocked their exit as Pulse surveyed the carnage of his catacombs.

He turned and glared at them, taking the armour plating from his chest. A red crystal that was beating with black swirling mist within its surface throbbed against his skin and Fang withdrew, clutching at her own chest. She broke out in a cold sweat as she looked upon the beating crystal, and felt a deep crushing sorrow overwhelm her. The others seemed to feel the same way, falling to their knees. The only exceptions were Lightning, Snow and Sazh.

"The only thing keeping this world in balance is that Etro is not truly dead. When Bhunivelze saw his error, he took the last breath of her and entombed it in crystal. It was then embedded in my chest as my punishment. As my eternal reminder that I would always have her close but never again in my arms."

He shot forward, swinging his massive blade to try to goad them into a fight. "I know of their plans. Barthandelus is delusional to think that his  _Maker_  will return. Sanctum thinks this will be enough to draw Bhunivelze back to their side. But he wasn't the one who made the cosmos. So their plan will be their undoing."

"Come on, Caius," Fang said quietly once she'd moved out of his reach, "Surely you see this is madness. Why hold onto the human?"

"Because, Ragnarok. I grow weary of this existence, of this burden," he sighed, turning to Lightning with a malicious smirk. "But you are not yet ready. Come and find me in the void, warrior goddess, fulfil your purpose."

He vanished in a cloud of black smoke and left the group staring at the spot where he stood. Lightning's jaw clenched at his words. "What did he mean by me not being ready?" She whispered to herself. Glancing down at her crystal clawed hands, she huffed derisively at her appearance. "Guess I'm not far enough along…"

The group wasted no more time in the black citadel, escaping amidst the chaos to make their way down to the next circle. "Light, wait a minute," Fang called out, gesturing at the others to go ahead. The pinkette slowed and turned, surprised as the demon swept her up into her arms. Her yelp was stifled by Fang's lips pressed against hers, pulling her flush against the brunette's body.

"Light… I need you to know. The collar…"

"It's gone, I know."

"No," Fang said, holding her fingers against the pinkette's lips. "It doesn't change anything. It… It doesn't change that I will see this through to the end, whatever happens. It… Doesn't change how I… Feel about you." She continued. Lightning froze, her breath catching in her throat. Fang drew her fingers along the pale cheek and smiled. "I'm kinda glad I did try to pull the moves on you in the café. You bound me, and yet you freed me all the same. If… If we survive this, do you think we could try sleeping? Together?" Lightning's eyebrows raised and the demon realised what she'd said. "I MEAN. Not like that. I just meant… I don't think the waking world would be so painful, if you're there with me."

The pinkette glanced down at her hands, watching some of the crystal shards flake off and fall to the ground. She looked up at Fang through her pale locks and smiled.

"I'd like that."


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I know I said the last chapter would be it for the year but JOKES I got bored on the plane. Merry festiveness to all!

"Sazh man, you're unusually quiet," Rygdea observed as they made their way through the path to the next circle. The death god glared at him with an annoyed huff.

"Yes because I am the epitome of a chatter box, of course." He drawled, rolling his eyes and continuing on. "I just… There's too many down here I had to lead across the river. For the terrible crime of being crushed by despair, they suffer. Let's just say I would like to get through here as quickly as possible."

The demon clapped him on the shoulder, in a gesture of support. "We'll get through here, get the human's sister and then get back to the surface. I hear your bartender makes a mean drink."

The death god rolled his eyes and shrugged the hand off. He wasn't any more in the mood to be traipsing through the circles as the human was, her appearance tense and shifting by the minute. He noticed Fang was hovering close, making sure she was constantly in physical contact with the pinkette, holding hands, whispering assurances, or a protective arm about the human's waist. Sazh shook his head with a wistful sigh, he couldn't stop their feelings any more than he could stop the sun from rising.

Still, even after everything that had happened, they knew full well the story of the war and the Maker's jealous ways, they were still willing to risk it. He wondered if they had even told each other yet. He wondered if they were even aware that they were in love.

He thought about his own reasons, why he really left the Archeron and toyed with a pendant around his neck, hidden beneath his robes. Sazh's thoughts turned to the past, to his duty he abandoned, because of the family he left behind.

" _You cannot be!" The woman cried, throwing herself at the feet of the death god. "I won't let you take him. He's a good man, he doesn't deserve this death."_

" _It is his fate to pass. It is my fate to guide him."_

_Tsazhcatzlroi moved past the human and over to the bed where her father lay, taking his last breaths. He had been doing this a long time and paused for the first time in centuries, turning slowly to face the crying woman._

" _You... You can see me."_

" _O-of course I can, shade. Are you not a Dealer of Death?" she asked, her tears slowing and expression shifting to one of cautious curiosity. The death god lay his scythe down by the bed and sat on a chair nearby, gesturing for the woman to sit._

" _Alright, human. I'll do you a deal. Nobody can escape death. It comes for us all, eventually. But it has been almost an age since I have been able to speak with anyone that isn't a begging soul or demon from below. Indulge me for a spell, and I will leave him for another year."_

_The girl's eyes looked over him, interested and calculating. She slowly sat down and stared at his hand, skeletal and terrifying. He glanced down and coughed, conjuring it to vanish in place of a limb more human in appearance. "I must apologise. I'm not used to... Anyone seeing me. Tell me of the lands here, what stories can a young human as yourself regale?"_

" _I would be far more interested in learning of the tales and lands from which you came." The woman replied, keeping her head bowed. Tsazhcatzlroi chuckled and leant back in the chair_

" _Very well."_

_The next thing he knew, the sun was rising, but the woman was attentive as ever. His eyebrows rose, there was no passage of time at all while speaking with the daughter of the one fated to pass. He stood slowly and watched as she tensed._

" _Pay no mind, child of the Darcyn household. You have entertained me for the first time in centuries. You will have your extra year with your father. But know this, a man slated to die that skirts the edges of the abyss, will either be a pious man, or a reckless one. Guide him well with your kind soul child, lest he become the latter."_

_He disappeared in a cloud of smoke and went about his life and his task. With the passing of the seasons he once again found himself at the homestead, and he had to admit there was a skerrick of curiousity as to whether or not he would be seen. The door opened to the bedroom and once again, the young woman stood in the doorway, tense but defiant._

" _So again we play this game," Tsazhcatzloi sighed, stepping across the threshold. "I see it was no fluke. You see me once more."_

_The woman bowed her head and fell to her knees. "I am... I am not ready to let him go. He is all I have left."_

_Pity crept into his hollow chest and yet again he found himself lonely, craving the conversation. The demons of the wastes below were barely of any consequence or conversational aptitude, save for the lone violent demon that wandered aimlessly, the woman of rage and fire on her skin._

" _May I at least know your name if we are to dance this dance?" he enquired, moving his hood back. He saw a faint blush and she looked away. "I am Tsazhcatzlroi. Call me Sazh if that is too much of a mouthful."_

_The woman giggled with a smile, and the death god decided it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "Evelyn. My name is Evelyn."_

" _Well Evelyn, what shall we discuss his year?"_

_The years passed, with every turn of the season bringing more bartering with the human. Her father survived his illness well past the expectancy, thus people suspected her of witchcraft. When Sazh saw her name upon his list he wept, and then grew enraged. It was his doing, prolonging her father's life that now meant she would take his place. He appeared at the village, just as they lit the fires at the stake. They locked eyes and she smiled, a sad but almost relieved smile._

" _At last, you come for me." She whispered. "At last I can go to the beyond."_

" _No."_

_He walked through the flames and took her by the face, shielding her from the fire. "I won't let them take you for simply bartering your father's life from me."_

" _But you don't understand, I wasn't doing it for him," Evelyn cried, "I was doing it for you."_

_Sazh was taken aback, and cut her ropes free. He enveloped her in his cloak and vanished from the crowd, knowing full well he had doomed her to never return. He took her to a stream far from the village to clean her and heal her wounds. When she stared in shock at the way his hand healed her skin, he smiled sadly. "Death doesn't always take. Sometimes it gives."_

_Evelyn threw her arms around him and sobbed into his cloak, grieving for her lost father, for her lost life. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, the first act of care after an act of defiance._

" _What did you mean back there? You did it for me?" He asked once she had calmed down. She looked up at him with a bashful expression and bit her lip._

" _I have known you since you took my mother. I have followed you around the village for years, during the famine, during the plague, and then over the last several years I finally got the chance to meet you, and know you. And... Love you."_

_Sazh was unsure what love was. He knew of it, knew it was the cause of so much pain and suffering from the demons he came across in the wastes. The demon lord Pulse dared to love the Goddess Etro, and look what happened to them. All he knew of love was that it ended in hell._

_Then, Evelyn pulled him forward into a kiss and he forgot about what he was thinking. The sensation was new, nothing like he had experienced. And he decided he liked it._

_Love was a strange concept to a death god, whose only job since he was made at the start of creation was to ferry souls into the after life, to ward off the seas of chaos so that they didn't envelop the world. When the War of Transgressions occurred and many were cast out to the Wastes, he too was locked out of Valhalla as a co-conspirator despite him staying out of it. Fence-sitting was tantamount to defiance, apparently. That he was denied his original purpose by the False God, all because of love made him cold._

_But then, Evelyn gave herself to him, and he to her, and he forgot about what he was thinking. It was new, something about untold pleasures of the flesh, nothing like he had experienced. He decided he finally understood a little more about why Pulse fell in love._

_He hid from the world, from his task. Built a home in the middle of a deep forest far from civilisation. Tried to forget what his true nature was. He almost had succeeded by the time their son was born. A demigod. The first of his kind. His time would be fleeting with his family, against the backdrop of a near ageless death dealer. When they passed, Sazh wept for centuries. When the well of tears dried, there was nothing left of him._

" _You know, I think I finally understand why Pulse went mad in his grief."_

" _I'm... So sorry, old man." The wandering demon in the wastes replied. He clapped her on the shoulder and gave a half-hearted smile._

" _I just don't have it in me to guide the souls anymore. I keep seeing their faces. But then I know I can't stay here."_

_The demon shifted in the sand, contemplative. "There may be a way around that, Death Dealer. The others found a loophole. A way to get to the surface and stay there. Maybe indefinitely. It isn't the paradise of Valhalla but... It can be close enough."_

" _Without Dajh and Evelyn, there will never be a paradise. But if it gets me out of this hell, then I'm game."_

_The demon glared and prodded him in the chest. "Hey, funny man. Stop calling this place hell."_

_Sazh held his arms up in surrender and laughed a little. "Sorry, sorry. Lead the way, Ragnarok."_

* * *

 

Before too long they were standing on the edge of a molten desert. The sand burned bright, casting an unnatural orange glow across the lands and reflected off the clouds in the sky.

"So… That looks… Hot." Snow deadpanned, bouncing on either foot while they surveyed the land ahead. Lightning gave him a sardonic look and sighed.

"No kidding. So how are we getting across that?" She asked, wincing at the sight of souls amongst the sand, burning and screaming far below them. Fang and Rygdea both shrugged and unfurled their wings.

"How else?" Rahab replied, picking up Vanille with a squeak and taking off from the cliffs. Sazh rolled his eyes and conjured a small chariot, pulling Snow by the collar.

"Come on, human, not all of us have the gift of wings to get across this hellscape." They left the cliffs, trailing high above the burning desert. Fang and Lightning were left alone on the edge, the demon trailing her hands along the small of the pinkette's back.

"I see the feathers are coming back in," Lightning observed, leaning in close. "You want to give me a crash course in flying?" Fang smiled and shook her head, shivering as she felt a hand sliding along the membrane of one of her wings.

"We'll be ok, Light, you'll see. Not far to go now. This place is the violent, there's… Another forest to go through and then from here into the circle of the Fraudulent. Beyond that, the Void."

Lightning caught the hesitation in her words at the mention of the forest and watched the brunette's eyes carefully. "There's something you're keeping from me."

Fang averted her gaze, looking out towards the darkness amidst the molten sands. "There's a presence in there. I don't know what it means but… It feels like you. I don't understand it."

"What's in the forest?"

"I…"

Lightning stepped closer, refusing to let the demon escape the question. "What's. In. The forest?"

"It's… This is the circle of violence. Violence against others, violence against the soul and violence against the self. The forest is where the suicides are housed."

The pinkette's jaw immediately tightened and tears stung at her eyes, evaporated by the extreme heat from below before they had a chance to trail down her face. "Bhunivelze thinks little of that too, huh?"

Fang paled at the sight of the woman before her, the angrier the human became the more the horns began to grow. Her ears began to point at the tips, and the crystal began to cover more of her, creeping up the sides of her abdomen.

"Light…"

The bright red eyes snapped over to her and she heard a guttural growl rumble from the pinkette's throat. Lightning crouched down on the edge of the cliff, her stance aggressive and feral. She leapt from the cliff and spread the wings wide, leaving Fang standing alone on the precipice.

"What's in that forest for you, Claire?" Fang whispered to herself before jumping off the cliff herself, using the thermals from the heated sands below to push her skyward. She effortlessly caught up with Lightning as she flew, and reached out to the human with her mind. Surprised by the sheer wall of silence that met her, Fang manoeuvred underneath her and tried to catch her gaze.

"Come on, sweetheart. Talk to me. Don't keep it cooped up."

Lightning's gaze slowly tracked down, but there was no affection in her eyes. Fang noted that there was barely any recognition either. "Light… Claire… Don't lose yourself to the feral instincts of a lesser demon darlin'. You're more than this."

The pinkette bared her teeth, canines vicious and long as well as the rest of the teeth in her mouth. "Do I look like I am more than what you see before you?" She snarled, her face contorting in anger.

"You always have." Fang replied quietly, so low that Lightning almost missed it. The human remained silent, staring down at the jade eyes that resumed their place in lieu of the fiery red she had almost gotten used to. She realised that it was because of her that the demon was even looking like this in the first place.

"The blood of a demigod seems to do you well, Fang. Shame it doesn't work both ways."

The green irises suddenly flashed in anger and Fang reached out, grabbing the back of Lightning's neck and throwing her forward. It sent her pitching from the sky and into the ground below. Landing hard in the ashen earth at the cusp of the forest, Lightning crawled her way to a standing position as the brunette landed. Fang tackled her to the ground and pinned her wrists above her head.

"How bloody  _dare_ you," Fang seethed, forcing all her strength into keeping the pinkette still. "How  _dare_  you just be so accepting of your fate, after everything we've been through. After everything I've seen you do. You have the blood of a demigod within you. But instead you're hiding in the demon you're becoming, out of some insane need to what? Protect yourself? To bargain so you don't wind up as a shade like the other lost souls here? You've barely called on the power that lay within you, and this is the price you're paying. You're letting the demon overrun you."

Fang leant back as Lightning snapped at her face, the crystal covered arms jagged and sharp in her grip. It cut into her skin and the brunette grimaced as she continued to struggle. "You think so little of yourself, Light. Look at me. The collar is gone. I'm here for you, with you. But Gods be damned, Claire. You have to  _fight_ or I'm going to lose you _._ "

Sazh landed and let Snow off, the blonde man racing over and kneeling next to his pending sister-in-law. "Claire… Come on sis… We're all in this together, we're getting Serah out of here, together. Please…"

Suddenly all the fight left the pinkette, going limp in Fang's arms. "Not… Your damn… Sister…" Lightning muttered, trying to get her breathing under control. Snow started to laugh, and Fang slowly relaxed her grip to allow the human to sit up. "Sorry," Lightning said quietly, resting her head against the brunette's. "It's… Getting harder to… You know. Keep things in check."

Fang took her by the jaw and leant in close, pressing her lips against the human's. Snow and the others found other interesting things to look at on the horizon while the two shared a moment. "Stay close to me, Light. And let me in. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not leaving you here. We're  _all_  getting out of here."

Lightning nodded and allowed herself to be helped to her feet. She looked at the twisted, petrified trees towering over them ahead and sighed. "Let's just get this over with. And Snow," She turned to him and placed a clawed hand on his shoulder. To his credit, he kept his expression blank and didn't flinch at the sight of her, as she looked less and less human as time went on. "What we're likely to run into here... Don't tell Serah."

Snow simply nodded, a little confused and even more concerned than ever before. They began to walk into the forest, Fang pressing close to the pinkette with her hand on her back. Lightning steeled herself with a held breath, before taking Fang's hand tightly. The demon glanced down and felt how badly the hand was shaking.

"Light… What are we likely to find down here?"

"My mother."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year! Surprise double update for this and the FtWH Fic! I'm beginning to think I spoil you...

The twisted trees reminded Lightning of the ash covered forest they wandered through back when they first entered this hellscape. She wondered how far down they were and how long they'd been gone for that matter. Snow said something about it being months, but it didn't feel that way. Yet at the same time it did, in some ways that scared her it felt like she had been there all along. The trees had bodies sticking out of them, merged with the bark and all immobile but very aware. Flying imps and harpies tore at the branches, and all the shades could do was scream.

With both a quickened pace and heart rate, Lightning moved faster through the forest, reaching out for that ghostly familiar presence. "Light... Are you sure..." Fang said quietly from by her side, worrying her lip at the locked expression.

"No," the pinkette replied, "but I have to do something. I can't... I can't leave her here."

Fang nodded and took her hand, trying her best to smooth out the tension she could feel even beneath the crystal claws. "We'll do our best, love."

Snow flexed his hand from beside the pinkette, marvelling at the blue crystal plating up his arm. He flinched at the moans and wails from around him, looking over the poor souls entombed in the petrified wood. "Sis… What… Um… Serah told me your mother passed from illness?"

Lightning sighed, knowing this question was coming from the moment she'd revealed the truth. "She was introduced to the occult after dad died. Some friend wanting to help her _heal with light_ or whatever. Mom wound up in a coven or something, with a group of idiots dabbling in things they shouldn't have been dabbling with. I ignored it, mostly. People deal with grief in different ways and if that was what it took to bring her peace, fine. Instead... She kept going on about how she'd unwittingly tore back the veil. I had no idea what she was on about until the day everything went to hell and I was thrown into this... Mess. Until then, I never believed it. I never believed her."

"The demons here relish the opportunity when a human begins to see beyond the veil. It would have driven her to madness," Fang surmised, her jaw tightening. She'd seen it far too many times, even at the price of a human's desire for knowledge. She wondered how many were down here because of her. Guilt was never something she could afford in her line of "work", but her time with the pinkette had meant that she had been feeling all kinds of strange new emotions, ones that made her want to rise above her status as nothing more than a demon of desire.

Lightning simply nodded, staring at the winding path ahead. "She overdosed on sleeping pills just before my thirteenth birthday. Serah was only eleven at the time, still young. So was I, I guess."

Sazh placed his hand on her shoulder in sympathy. "It isn't right, that they should be punished here. Especially considering it was the demons here that dragged your mother to her end in the first place."

A long cry pierced their surroundings, drawing their attention above them. A harpy flew down from the tree tops with a screech, alerting the others in the vicinity. The group removed their weapons and scattered, not giving them a target.

Lightning could feel her heartbeat thudding in her ears, her temper even harder to control. When a harpy crashed into her and sent her flying back against a tree she snarled, slashing at the grotesque bird-woman with her claws. She could feel the demonic instincts surging through her, and fought to suppress them with a crease of her brow. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the harpy off her and ran it through with her sword.

More and more of its kin scrabbled down from the branches, and the group were put through their paces to finish them off. Fang speared a few from the sky with her lances, and yelped as one dug its filthy claws into her wings and back. The harpy's head was removed from its shoulders from a clean swipe from Rygdea's blade. One of Fang's wings lay limply from her spine, rendered immobile from the tendons being severed.

"Etro's Gate these bastards are playing dirty..." Fang complained, spearing another against a tree. "How many are there down here? We're being overrun!"

Another harpy leapt for her, claws outstretched, but vanished in a blinding light of white fire. In its place stood Rosch, tall and proud, though looking entirely unhappy with being there. He hesitated for the briefest of moments before sighing and extending his hand in assistance, helping the brunette to her feet. "It has certainly been an age or three since I've seen those obnoxious wings of yours, Yun." He drawled, his lips thin in disapproval. His eyes, however, sparkled with recognition of an old friend.

"Rosch..." Fang breathed, astonished at his presence, let alone that he was helping them. Another angel appeared at his side, dark hair hiding his face.

"Help the others." Rosch said gruffly, his compatriot nodding and turning away. The other cherubim strode to Rygdea's side and the demon's breath caught in his throat.

"Raines...?" The dark-haired angel merely nodded in silence, brandishing his blade and moving to attack the other harpies that were left. Any surviving quickly scattered, not willing to take the chance of death in the wake of the newcomers from the Most High. Rahab placed his clawed arm on the white robes, wincing as it sullied it with ash. Raines merely smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know if you can ever forgive me for the eons we have been apart, brother. But know that I am here now, come what may if we survive."

Rygdea huffed and laughed, the sound only mildly tinged with bitterness. "Bout time you decided to fight fate."

Fang hummed and limped over to Lightning, checking over her wounds. The pinkette batted her away and spun her around, healing the broken wing and lacerations to her spine. Once done she cast an uneasy glance towards Rosch, who approached with a sympathetic gaze.

"Claire Farron, I am so sorry all this has come to pass." He said, taking her jaw gently. Lightning felt a jealous flare from the brunette next to her and reached for her hand gently to placate her tension.

"Well I did say I was willing to pay any price." She replied with a casual shrug that belied the true gravity of her situation.

"But you should not be paying ours. Yun," the angel turned to regard the demon who was looking more like her _old_ self than anything he had witnessed of her since the Fall. "One of the Keepers, Hope, came to us, showed us what Jihl had done to Claire in the city of Dis and what she had said there. That she is complicit in the young human's abduction is unforgivable."

Both Fang and Lightning glanced at each other at that, naturally confused. The brunette scratched at her head. "I thought they weren't allowed to intervene? Or do circumstances call for a bending of the rules?"

"Indeed. The Sanctum has goaded Pulse with the human, hoping that you would kill him. Somehow this is meant to bring Bhunivelze back to us. The ends do not justify the means."

Claire looked on further down the path, not listening to any of their conversation. She squeezed Fang's hand to get her attention when she found what she was looking for. "Do you have it in you to... Make me look human, for a moment? I don't want her to... See me. You know. Like this."

The brunette smiled sadly and nodded, pulling her close. She pressed her lips against Lightning's, soft and slow while she worked her magic. "Is the kiss... A necessary part... Of all your plans...?" the human asked between breaths. Feeling the laugh against her mouth brought a smile to her face. She knew it wasn't, but was happily received nonetheless. When they broke apart the silence from the rest of the group was palpable. For the time being, she was rendered human-looking enough, Fang taking a moment to gaze into the beautiful, sharp cerulean eyes she hadn't realised she'd missed.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Lightning asked, causing a bark of laughter from Fang beside her. The brunette ran a hand down her face and kissed her forehead.

"Come on. Let's go find your mum."

The two women walked off down the path, leaving the angels and others just staring after them. "How long has _that_ been going on?" Rosch asked with a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Don't start," Rygdea warned, "Maybe if Bhunivelze wasn't the jealous type and just let love flourish we all wouldn't be in this mess in the first place."

They all followed, hesitant about whatever the pinkette was looking for. They came upon the duo, with Lightning kneeling before a specific tree, Fang with an arm around her shoulders. The woman embedded in the tree looked ethereal, but no less tortured as her limbs merged with the petrified wood. Rosch stood closer, and his eyebrows raised. "I know this woman... She came up on our radar years ago, as a human able to perceive beyond the veil. It was a demon's doing. Why is she..."

Lightning turned her head, tears stinging at her eyes. "She went mad with whatever she found on the other side. Couldn't stand the torment so she took her own life."

Raines stepped forward and placed his hand on Rosch's shoulder. "The humans were born from our mistakes, yet they continue to pay the price for every one we make after."

The cherubim's jaw tightened as he considered his surroundings. That they were all following the will of the Maker, it meant that he was just as complicit as the Fallen were in the suffering of these souls. Was this part of Bhunivelze's grand plan? Or merely waste thrown by the wayside because they didn't follow his Word to the letter?

Rosch moved to the pinkette's side and saw how hard she fought back tears. His heart broke for the human, such as she was human in her current state. Casting a glance back at the others, he shook his head and spread his wings wide. With a whirl of his blade he roared and plunged it into the ground, sending the others scattering backwards. A white light burned from the ground up, blinding in its brilliance as it made its way upward through the trees. He set the forest ablaze with his righteous fury, turning the petrified trees to ash.

Bodies began to slump forward to the ground and Lightning cried out and raced to catch her mother as she fell. She cradled her body like it was the most fragile thing in the world. Weak eyes fluttered open and looked around, trying to focus. They landed on the pinkette and she forgot how to breathe.

"Mom..."

A withered hand reached up and shakily touched her face, and the gaunt soul smiled. "Claire... A miracle...? Or did... You wind up... Here too...?" The woman whispered before passing out.

Lightning was unable to stop the tears as she held her mother close, brushing the white hair from her face. It felt like straw. There was a fleeting thought that maybe the blood of a demigod would work for her in the same way it did for Fang, but the brunette grabbed her wrist.

"No, sweetheart," she said quietly with a shake of her head, "I heard your train of thought. It'll kill a soul not meant for it." Fang watched as the colour drained from her face, her head snapping towards Snow. The jagged black lines etching slowly across his neck and face and the blue crystal now covering his forearm were savage and progressive.

"Have I..." Lightning trailed off, not wanting to voice the question aloud. Fang merely shrugged and scratched her head.

"I dunno, love. Ain't seen anything like him before, but I sure as the ground I'm standing on don't want to take any chances with your mum." She answered, running her fingers gently over the back of Lightning's neck. When the pinkette looked back down at her mother, the woman had a soft smile and eyes still closed.

"Rosch," Raines said quietly, getting his peer's attention, "while a noble and rebellious gesture on your part, if the Sanctum is compromised Valhalla is not safe for any of these desperate souls. If they stay here they'll be fodder for the demons."

"I know."

The dark-haired man looked quizzically at his comrade, trying to discern whether the stress of the last month or so had caused him to lose whatever was left of his sanity.

"Before you ask, yes. I have lost my mind it would seem." Rosch murmured, looking over the human and the demon crouched with the soul he should have saved when he had the chance. Perhaps now he could find a way to make amends, even if that was likely to cause vastly more problems in the future. One cataclysmic problem at a time, he decided.

Lightning ignored whatever the angels were muttering about behind them, focused solely on the withered face of her mother. "You were right mom," she whispered, her voice strained, "the books came in handy." Kissing her mother gently on the forehead, she stood slowly and cradled the frail form in her arms. "Not that I'm not grateful, Rosch, but what now?"

The cherubim looked towards Sazh and nodded. "Do you think you could guide them all to the sea?" Rosch asked, watching the realisation dawn on his face. The death god's eyes darted between the angel and Lightning, holding the shade of her mother in her arms.

"Aye, I can. But the souls have to enter it willingly, I cannot force them if their business is unfinished. And most of these souls will have unfinished business the size of mountains considering how they left their world."

"You can only try, Tsazhcatzlroi. The in-between is at least safer than here and far enough from the eyes of the Sanctum, at any rate."

The death god pulled a lantern from his robes, the frame materialising from the nothingness. It began to draw all the souls to it, and Lightning gasped in hurt as her mother turned to mist and flowed towards him.

"Easy, Farron," Sazh said quietly, keeping his tone neutral and soft in a reassuring manner, "You'll see her again, I promise. We just have to get them all safe for a moment. They won't survive down here on their own otherwise."

Fang approached the human and drew her into an embrace as the souls entered the lantern, bathing the area in a white glow. Lightning buried her head in the demon's neck, crying silently as she allowed herself to be held.

"I just got her back..."

"I know sweetheart, I know. But let's go get your sister first, ok? Then you can have that proper goodbye with your mum." Fang assured her, rubbing gentle circles on her back. "Sazh'll look after them, you'll see. He'll keep them all safe."

Lightning nodded and relaxed her iron grip on the brunette. By the time she'd stood back the mirage was gone and the red crystal claws were back in full view. The death god gave them a salute and pointed specifically at Fang.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. _Try_ not to end the world while I'm gone."

He vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving the demon glaring at the spot he had stood. "Makes it sound like _I'm_ the irresponsible one..." She grumbled, scowling at the sardonic glances she received from the two Cherubim and her other demonic family. "Oh, fuck off the lot of you."

Rosch cleared his throat and sheathed his blade, tucking his wings flush against him. "I believe we need to keep moving. There is a great deal more going on here than I anticipated to find and we need to get to the bottom of this."

They all set off in the direction of the final circle before the Void, a mismatched group of angles and demons, and Lightning stuck somewhere in between.

* * *

"So this is the circle of the Fraudulent." Fang explained as they stood in the mouth of an enormous cavern, the entrance looking more like the maw of a great beast than a naturally occurring phenomenon.

"Etro, I've heard of this place..." Raines said, shifting his weight from foot to foot, clearly restless. "We have to pass through the Malebolge to get to the abyss, over the bolgia where the fraudulent lay."

There was no light at all as they entered this cavern. Rosch and Raines lit small flares, orbs of white light that illuminated their path ahead. Fang raised an eyebrow at them both and rolled her eyes. "Show offs."

Lightning remained quiet at the rear of the group, scratching at the side of her neck. From the moment they entered this dank cave the voices that had been plaguing her since the beginning of this saga increased their prattle, a veritable crescendo of maddening noise. " _Looks like you're having the time of your life down here_ ," a high-pitched voice called out, mocking her with a melodic tone. The pinkette spun around with a snarl, startling Vanille who was walking just ahead of her.

"You alright, Lightning?" Fang asked, hanging back to check in when she heard Vanille yelp. The pinkette nodded, though her eyes were looking around for something and not focusing on her. "Hey, Light, back here love." She pressed, clicking her fingers in front of the woman's eyes to get her attention.

" _Down here we get to see everyone's true nature. Even yours. Does she know?_ " The whispers continued, and Lightning ground her teeth in her head.

"Can we just keep moving? I... Something's not right." Lightning hissed, balling her fists and picking up her pace. Fang gave a concerned look to her sister who simply nodded and tapped her left ear. Whatever that meant seemed to hold weight to the demon, who growled low in her throat.

There was a small bridge over an incredibly deep chasm, wailing from the souls travelling up from far below.

" _They wallow in their own filth down there. Do you belong down there with them? Or maybe somewhere a little further in... A little deeper down._ " The whispers continued. Lightning grunted and clutched at her head, trying to force the words from her skull by physical pressure alone.

Fang took her by the wrists and gently pried them away from her scalp. "Come on darlin', remember what I taught you. Get those feathers out."

"They're not... Working..."

The brunette took her hands either side of Lightning's head and pressed their foreheads together. Fang was met with a wall of darkness that enveloped them both. Their surroundings began to get lighter, and when their eyes adjusted they stood back and gasped.

"What the hell is..." Fang trailed off, looking around at the pinkette's apartment. "Light what did you do...?"

"What did I do? What did you do?"

There was a faint giggling from around them, within them, everywhere. Suddenly the door to Lightning's bedroom flung open and the duo watched the elder Farron trudge out to the kitchen to make her morning coffee.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Lightning growled, flexing the wings on her back angrily. She watched her hands slam down on the bench as she, or rather her former self, chastised her sibling.

" _You're engaged? You haven't even been seeing that idiot for that long!"_

Serah sighed, and Lightning noticed just how tired and sunken in the younger Farron's features were. If anything, they mirrored the same bags she wore under her eyes. Could she have been going through the same thing as well? Plagued with just as many vivid nightmares she was unable to escape from?

" _Six months Claire, I've been seeing him for six months. He proposed last night. I said yes_."

Fang watched the argument with curious concern. Had Lightning really been that against the thought of Serah finding love?

" _You don't know what you want. And to marry that idiot? He's only going to drag you down. For what? All those years I've been working to provide for this household so you could have a life, down the drain?_ "

The brunette winced at the words and stared at the human on the cusp of demonhood next to her. "Etro... You sound like Bhunivelze..." She whispered, shaking her head with a heavy heart. Lightning heard and whirled in anger.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She growled, feeling the crystal creep up her neck.

"Don't you see, Light? Bhunivelze was jealous of Etro loving another. He said something similar to her before he struck her down. Look at all that occurs when you try to deny love?"

They watched as Lightning almost threw Snow down a set of stairs. " _She's making her own decisions Light_! _You can't protect her forever. You need to let her go_!"

" _Go to hell. Both of you._ "

A hot wind blew at their backs, from within the apartment and they turned as a flame blew apart the living room with its fury. A tall demon stood in the space where the scorch marks were situated and stretched as the fire dissipated. Fang stepped forward, the confusion on her face obvious.

"What... Is this...?" She stared in horror as she, or someone that looked very much like her, brushed the dark locks from her face with a savage grin.

" _Well, you heard the lady... And I always deliver on requests."_

She felt Lightning's fury before she even saw it. "Light... That wasn't me. You have to know that wasn't me." Fang said, hands raised in panic. The apartment disappeared around them to the sound of manic giggling and they found themselves back in the Malebolge. The pinkette roared and threw the brunette back with a savage backhand, sending her flying across the bridge where they stood. The others turned and gasped as they saw what was left of the pinkette vanish into crystal.

"Fang! Are you alright?" Vanille asked, running over to help her up. The demon shook her head and leant a little on her sister.

"We were shown am apparition of her past... She thinks I'm responsible for taking Serah. The giggling... Fuck, Lumina's playing us!"

Rosch stepped forward and drew his blade, Rygdea and Raines doing the same. "On your guard, the mistress of deceit and lies dwells in the Bolgias. It is very likely she is manufacturing a false memory to spur on the human's changes."

Fang pushed past them and ran towards the crystal statue that stood in place of the pinkette. It was a deep red, like blood, that had encased every part of her and she now was frozen, lifeless.

"Light..." She whispered, pained to see her this way. Running a tentative hand over the glass face, the demon took a few hesitant steps back when the crystal began to shatter, and release its prisoner. The first thing Fang witnessed was the fury within the bright red irises, locking on her form. A savage snarl heralded Lightning's release, but any evidence of humanity was long since torn away.

Snow moved to the side of Fang, concerned for both parties. "Sis... You... You still with us?"

The beast that stood in Lightning's place merely growled, threatening and malicious. "Snow... Get back. She's not home right now." Fang warned, moving back herself. Any time she attempted to reach out with her mind, she was burned by the hatred and rage pouring from the woman's mind. Gone were her pink locks, her pale face, any semblance of her looking human. Instead there were fully grown wings, a barbed tail that looked as sharp as a sword, a face ashen grey and little more than an exposed skull.

Fang swallowed hard and reluctantly materialised her weapons. "I don't want to do this, Light... Please..."

Her pleading would go unheeded, as the demon form of Lightning rushed forward and charged into her, sending them both flying across the Bolgias. They hit the ground hard, scraping Fang's wings across the stone. She cried out in pain and struggled to get the snapping jaws away from her throat. An icy hand slammed onto Lightning, ripping her off the brunette and throwing her backwards.

"Snow! Stay back!" Fang yelled, ignoring his offered hand to help her up. "That isn't Lightning anymore..." Her voice caught on the last words, heart breaking over the thought of losing the woman she had fallen all over again for. At least this time, she was falling for her own heart rather than Pulse's. There was a flash of recognition in her mind, the briefest flickering of the pinkette touching the edges of her consciousness, before it sank back within the rage.

Snow was pushed to the ground with a sharp claw piercing his shoulder. He bellowed in agony and tried to throw the aggressive demon off him. Lightning was too strong, however, snarling as she moved her claws to his throat to crush his windpipe. She snarled as she pressed harder, watching the blonde struggle for breath. Her hatred bled through her movements, anger tasted on every breath.

Fang got her arms around the raging demon and pulled her back, giving Vanille and the others time to scramble forward and pull Snow away from the scene. With a push from her wings she carried Lightning over the other Bolgia, to get to the last ring, where the stone opened up into darkness below. She threw the woman down, sending her skidding towards the edge of the Abyss.

"Come on, Light. Please... You gotta fight this. I didn't take your sister. I was too bloody busy pursuing you to be involved with any of this other shit! It's Lumina, trying to mess with you!"

The demon before her paused her movements, relaxing her form. Fang hesitantly moved closer, holding her hands slowly. "Please, Light. Come back to us. You're better than this. You don't deserve to be like the rest of us."

The demon hung her head and Fang scooped her up in her arms, holding her tight. She felt Lightning's arms move shakily to embrace her and she could have sobbed with relief. "That's it. I believe in you, Light. I'm not willing to lose you."

"You already have."

Fang barely had time to register the pinkette's words before she was overwhelmed with blinding pain. She saw feathers fall away from the corners of her vision and she dropped to her knees. Blood dripped from Lightning's claws where she had severed the brunette's wings from her spine. What was left of the appendages lay uselessly on the ground, stained with the evidence of the former human's betrayal.

Lightning stared at her hands and the slumped over form of Fang and snarled. She turned from the scene and leapt forward, disappearing into the Abyss below.

"Light!" Fang cried out, her arm reaching desperately for the pinkette in vain. Lightning fell into the darkness of the Void, and black ice sealed over the pit, cutting them off from each other. The demon crawled over slowly as blood dripped to the stone around her. She could hear the others racing towards her and knelt at the edge, peering over and listening to the silence that surrounded them.

"By the gods! Fang!" Sazh's voice suddenly cut through her awareness as he reappeared, cradling her and trying to stem the flow of blood. Vanille raced over and helped with the healing as well, though there was nothing that could be done about the wings. "I leave for five minutes and suddenly everything falls to shit. What happened? "

Fang tuned them out as she stared at the black ice covering their only entrance into Cocytus. What was she missing? There was something about this entire endeavour that felt unsettlingly larger than anything the Sanctum had planned. Why was Caius so insistent on turning Lightning, on following through with Barthandelus' insane scheme? Snow approached and helped her up, and she gasped as she gripped his ice-crystal arm, the remnants of an old friend.

" _Good. You might be strong enough to finally free me._ "

Shiva's voice assaulted her mind, and she stumbled into the blonde, who caught her as she fell.

" _Come to the city of Haerii and meet your fate along with your sister_."

The realisation was sickening. Fang held a hand to her mouth, bile rising to her throat.

" _The only thing keeping this world in balance is that Etro is not truly dead... Sanctum thinks this will be enough to draw Bhunivelze back to their side. But he wasn't the one who made the cosmos. So their plan will be their undoing_."

Even Rosch moved forward and placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder as she bit back a sob, her breath ragged and burning in her chest.

" _Come and find me in the void, warrior goddess, fulfil your purpose_."

Fang reeled and hit the dirt again, hard. Falling to her hands and knees she hyperventilated while trying desperately to keep her wits about her. Her own earlier words coming back to haunt her.

" _Some people prefer oblivion to suffering for eternity._ "

"Goddess... He can't be serious... He's been planning this all along..."

Vanille ran to her sister's side, focusing on healing the deep wounds. "Who has?"

"Etro's fucking Gate... Pulse... Caius is using Barthandelus' own plan against him!" she yelled, grabbing Rosch by the wrist. "Barthandelus captured Serah. Brought her down here, knowing what Claire is, and knowing Pulse won't give up anything out of sheer spite of the Maker."

Rosch clenched his teeth, tears stinging his eyes. That his own could be responsible for such treachery. Fang grabbed his jacket and pulled him forward.

"No, you don't understand. We have to stop her. We can't let Lightning kill him. He has Etro's Heart. If Caius dies, all is lost. Etro was the only one holding the chaos at bay. If the heart dies... The seas of chaos will be unleashed and we will all fall."

Sazh stepped in and gripped at Fang's shoulder, his breath shaky and nervous. "The cosmos will be consumed. Barthandelus hopes it will be enough to bring Bhunivelze back. But he never made the world, merely abandoned it. It was Fal'Cie that are down here with the rest of us, they made it all."

The angel was shocked and took a few steps back. "Goddess preserve us... They're bound here. They won't be able to intervene."

"Nor would any of them wish to after eons of imprisonment." Sazh interjected, walking over to the edge of the cliff. He summoned his enormous scythe and hung it high over his head. With a roar he leapt down onto the black, icy barrier and smashed his weapon against it, shattering it beneath his feet. "We don't have time to take the stairs." He growled as the ice gave way and he plummeted into the Void.

* * *

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Got this one in before moving day. Computer is being packed down when I get home from work tomorrow night, and then it's probably going to be a minute before I update again! So thank you for sticking with me this far, and we shall press on!

 

Lightning wondered if this was what drowning felt like. Somewhere, she was vaguely aware that she was moving, fighting something. Or someone, maybe. She felt like she was sinking into tar, her lungs filling, her limbs weighed down. She was so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of running, tired of everything.

Fang's face broke briefly through her awareness and she tried to reach for her. Limbs refusing to comply, Lightning felt herself pulled back under the surface of blackness. It was a distinct feeling of falling, like she was plunging into the abyss. So tired, so exhausted. Just needed to rest a moment, then she'll be good to go. That's what she kept telling herself.

She resurfaced again, a breath of clarity, to find herself staring at Fang's wings. But they weren't where they should be. They were splayed on the ground while the brunette was on all fours, bleeding from her shoulder blades. It was like she was on a couch, watching a scene on a television. Panic caught in her throat when she glanced down at her claws, covered in blood.

_Claws...? I don't... They were crystal... What is this...? Did I do that to Fang? No..._

Then, she was falling into darkness, hearing Fang cry out after her as she descended. Then there was nothing but black.

" _You scorn your heritage._ "

The voice roused her from consciousness, though Lightning was still blinded. She reached around on the ground in front of her, touching her hands and finding they were human for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

" _Where am I?_ " she asked, her voice sounding disjointed and crystallised. She felt like she was paralysed, unable to move.

" _Your mind, what is left of it_."

Externally, the demon form of Lightning had no trouble seeing in the dark as she tore down the ice covered path through Cocytus. Claws scrabbled on the black surface, spurred on by insidious laughter in the distance. "Come, beast," the voice called out, bringing a savage snarl to her face, "you are here to meet your end and fulfil your purpose."

There was a distinct sound of something landing behind her, followed by another familiar voice. "Light!" Fang cried out, still pained from her wounds. It gave the creature pause, but the laughter from ahead was far more enticing.

" _Fang... I thought I heard... I hurt her... Goddess what have I become?"_ Lightning whispered from her shadowy prison within herself. She could feel herself moving, running towards a purpose she no longer had any control over, and away from... Whenever she tried to reach for the brunette she was met with a solid wall of darkness and silence, like she was in a vacuum.

" _You spurn your gifts and hide from them, instead choosing the easier path. You've allowed the demon blood to consume you."_

" _What choice did I have_?" The pinkette snapped angrily. " _I was willing to do whatever was necessary to save my sister. I caused this! She is gone because of me_." Her grief overwhelmed her, for everything she had done. Her anger at her sister, pushing everyone away, even her sister's boyfriend. Even Fang...

A soft, bemused chuckle could be heard from in front of her. " _You shoulder far too much responsibility for things you have had no involvement in. You aren't the reason your sister is here. If not you, it would have been someone else. You're not the only demigod out there, at least... Not anymore."_

Lightning struggled to stand, but managed it somehow, pushing her back against an invisible resistance until she was upright. A hum of approval came from the spectre in front of her and she felt a large hand rest on her shoulder.

" _Good, there is still some hope yet if you are stubborn enough not to die. Now let's work on opening your eyes._ "

" _But my eyes are already open... I can't see..._ "

" _Child, you are not even close to being right._ "

The pinkette frowned, feeling her eyelids tentatively with her fingertips. They were definitely open, she was in darkness. That's why she couldn't... See... " _Oh, I get it. You're being cryptic and metaphorical. Typical of this place._ " She quipped with a scowl, hoping that this apparition was at least capable of seeing her expression.

" _The Dynameis unlocked what was once mine a long while ago now, and yet you have barely called on your heritage. That is why the demon has been able to overrun you. Because you allowed it._ "

Considering his words, her eyes suddenly widened at the realisation. " _You're one of the old gods_."

" _Aye. The last before you. The others sleep too deeply to hear your call. But I did, so I am here._ "

She searched her acquired memories and came up with one clear image in her mind.

" _Odin_."

* * *

 

"We have to hurry," Fang groaned as Rygdea flung her arm around his shoulder and helped her walk down the slippery passageway. He looked behind him at the trail of blood she left on the floor as he half carried her, growing increasingly concerned for his ages long friend.

"She really did a number on you, Yun." He observed, causing a wry chuckle to escape the brunette's lips despite everything.

"You always said I had a way with the ladies, Rahab... Gods this hurts..." She winced and stumbled, Vanille racing to the other side to help keep her sibling upright. The redhead frowned at the wounds, she didn't know why they weren't healing, why they weren't able to stem the flow of blood. It was like the demon didn't want them to heal, as if the wounds on her back were mirroring the wound in her heart.

They came across a howling wind that heralded the entrance to Cocytus, with souls and giants of old side by side, frozen in ice. In all the eons passed since Fang had fallen, she had never been this far down, this deep. She shivered hard from the cold, wishing she still had her wings to wrap around her. Her lips thinned at the painful reminder, and she huffed in frustration.

A roar in the distance drew both their attention, and their concern. The sound was pure aggression, rage and menace. "Shit, that's Light... Do you think Caius has found her?" Fang asked, shrugging off Rygdea's help and using her weapons as a walking stick to assist her movement.

"I'd say so," Sazh replied, eyeing off her injuries. "Fang, why aren't you healing?"

The brunette didn't answer, staring down the pathway and trying desperately to reach out for Lightning. She couldn't even sense the pinkette anymore, and she fought back a sob that threatened to make itself heard.

" _I have done much thinking, Ragnarok. And I believe I have found a way to free us. I have sowed the seeds of chaos in the human world and in Valhalla. We only need wait for the right time."_

_Fang's expression lightened at the sight of her old friend, and seeing him smile for the first time in millennia. But there was something about that curve of his lips that reminded her more like the blade of a scythe. She decided she didn't like it. "So how long until this grand scheme of yours will be enacted?"_

" _Centuries, at best," Caius replied, ignoring the scowl. "But come, Ragnarok. I have a task for you that will bring you a... Pleasurable distraction while we wait. There is someone I want you to meet."_

_He gestured for her to follow and began to walk in the direction of the looming spire in the distance, Taejin's tower. Fang swallowed hard, feeling like her stomach was filled with lead._

_The two remained silent for a while before Caius placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. "You have been loyal, sister. A true friend throughout the ages. You do not deserve to suffer for my crimes."_

_The demon scoffed and licked her dry lips with a serpentine tongue. "I'm just as guilty of crimes against the Maker. Even if," she held up a claw to silence his protest, "even if it weren't for what Bhunivelze did to Etro, war would have broken out inevitably. We've been sitting in a burning home for a long time, brother. The Maker's transgression against Etro was just the final crack in the foundations to bring it all down. That and his endless lack of wrath for the humans borne of her blood that scorn him, reject him, and commit every sin we were cast out for."_

_She hated the humans, everything they represented. Even when she started to see the souls punished for their crimes it gave her no respite. Nor did it relieve any of Pulse's anger and sorrow. He locked himself away for centuries, refusing to see anyone, hidden in the Void of Cocytus. Fang had all but given up on ever seeing her friend again when he suddenly appeared in the black sands, standing before her while she hunted the beasts of the wastes._

" _What was it like? To love?" Fang asked, watching the twitch of black wings as she dangerously stirred memories within the lord of hell. Caius turned and for the briefest of moments, the younger demon thought she was about to be obliterated into nothingness from his cold stare alone. But then his shoulders slumped and he sighed, staring out over the burning wastelands they had made their home._

" _Like your heart was going to break free from your chest, and that you couldn't get enough oxygen when around her."_

_Fang grimaced at the description, and scratched at one of her horns. "Sounds more like torture to me."_

" _It was."_

Picking up her pace, she dug the blade end into the ice to assist propelling herself forward. "I understand now, Caius. Why it felt like torture." Fang growled to herself and kept moving, "because I can't breathe without her."

* * *

 

Savage claws slashed at the black ice as the demon lunged at Caius. He laughed and pointed his blade at her, thoroughly bored.

"I was hoping for a bit more sport before I brought about the end of All,  _warrior goddess_. But you are all instinct and no finesse. It is a shame. I watched you fight during your journey, how pitiful that you end your life as a rabid beast incapable of higher thought."

Lightning shot forward and smashed into his sword with a blade of her own that dripped with corruption. "Hold sssstill so I can eat your heart!" she hissed, causing more laughter to erupt from his chest.

"So delicious to see you this way,  _human_. What would your dear sister think?" He sneered, his voice coated in venom. Caius stepped aside as she leapt for him again, sending her crashing into a frozen tomb. She dug her claws into the ice to hoist herself up but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the wide eyes and horrified expression from the soul within.

"Yes, Claire Farron, doesn't your sister look impressed with the demon you've become? I've seen your actions from her mind. You finally fit the monster you've always been."

Lightning turned with a snarl and lashed out blindly, while she felt a presence scraping at the edges of her mind. Caius tilted his head, scanning his surroundings with his peripherals and smiled maliciously. "You're almost there, warrior goddess. But not quite enough to rip this accursed heart from my chest." He snapped, sliding across the ice and swiping the demon's feet out from under her. Lightning fell back with a hard thud against the ice.

" _Claire, I think that foreign lady is back again for you."_

_The barista rolled her eyes and scoffed from her hiding place behind the coffee machine. "She's relentless, I'll give her that." She muttered to herself, startled by the familiar smug face sliding into her line of vision. The woman leant on the counter with her head on her hand, giving Claire a salacious grin._

" _What can I say? I have good taste in both coffee_ and _women. The usual, if I can please."_

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as she watched Caius raise his sword to strike a finishing blow. Lightning closed her eyes, awaiting the encroaching death. She heard the sword slide into flesh but felt nothing. Opening her eyes, she didn't find Caius meeting her gaze but the brilliant jade eyes of Fang.

_The pinkette glanced up from her station at the machine and gave a small smile. She knew it was dangerous and that it was probably opening a door a mile wide, but she couldn't help herself. There was just something about this stranger that wore down her usual icy walls. There was a part of her that admired the tenacity. "What am I putting your order under?" She asked the woman, knowing that every time instead of giving her name it was always some smart-ass comment._

" _Oh I dunno, how 'bout you just write your phone number on the cup and we'll call it a day?"_

_Always smooth. Always with the smooth comments that Claire always set herself up for. After six months of seeing this woman every other day, she was beginning to question whether walking into these obvious traps was a deliberate act on her own behalf. She could write her number down, the boss wasn't in today after all…_

_Instead the barista sighed and made the woman's order as always, sliding the cup over with a coy smile before going about her day. The foreigner picked up her coffee with a grin as she spied the words "Better Luck Next time" scrawled on the cup. They shared a moment and Claire couldn't help but shiver at the way the brunette licked her lips as she tasted the beverage. Next time. Next time she'd have the courage to give the woman what she wanted. Next time…_

Clarity suddenly returned, the creeping fear as cold as the ice she lay on. The demon vanished and the brunette saw the immediate recognition in the fire-tinted eyes. The demonic bone and leathery skinned face began to crack and fall away, leaving the fire-lined skin underneath.

"There you are..." Fang rasped, blood dripping from her mouth. She ran a shaking hand down the pinkette's face and smiled weakly. "I've been looking for you, you know?"

They both looked down as Caius pulled his sword from Fang's back, the blade disappearing through the gaping wound in her abdomen. Lightning's panicked eyes raked over the fatally wounded form and she caught the woman as she fell.

"I knew you'd forget about the collar being removed from your neck, Ragnarok. You didn't need to save her, you wouldn't have come to harm. But it will be enough to stoke the fires of her rage when you die. Then we will all be free when she destroys the Heart of Etro."

Fang shook her head and laughed. "All this time and you still are as oblivious as they come, idiot." She replied, feeling the hands of the human trying and failing to put pressure on the wound. "I didn't do it because of the pact, I did it because  _I love her_."

For the first time since the Fall, Caius hesitated. "Impossible. After everything that has happened you would allow yourself to..."

"With all of my dead, black, little heart you arsehole!" Fang snapped, coughing more blood from her mouth. She reached up and grabbed the back of Lightning's neck, pulling her forward. She could feel the hyperventilating breath pouring out of the pinkette like a furnace.

"Fang..."

"Now... You listen here missy... No matter what happens to me. Don't give into the demon. You're better than any of us could ever hope to be. I... Want to be better because of you. I love you, Claire Farron. I give all that I am and all that I ever hope to be, to you."

Lightning bowed her head forward, pressing her lips against the fallen angel's forehead. Tears ran freely, unhindered by restraint. The sound of a blade scraping along the ice floor drew their attention back to find Caius swinging his swords up in a fit of rage. "I will not be denied my retribution. If you won't fight, I'll find some other pathetic human to turn while you'll both join each other in death!" He brought the sword down hard and Fang braced for the final impact.

"No."

A blinding flash of light filled the cavern and Fang felt herself fall back, no longer in Lightning's embrace. She found the pinkette standing before her as the flare faded and gasped. Gone were the leathery demonic wings and were replaced with deep black feathers tinged with a brilliant green. The tail was gone and the only horns that remained were atop a helmet she wore that was a shining gold. She brandished her enormous segmented weapon, scraping against the huge sword wielded by the king of hell.

Fang saw with her fading vision that each blade was a polar opposite to each other. While one was a pristine white with gold markings, the other was a deep black with blood red inlay. The brunette smiled gently as she slumped back, losing consciousness. The others approached and Vanille gasped, racing over to her sister. Lightning spared a glance back at the brunette and growled. She wasn't going to lose anyone today.

"Claire, are you…" Rosch asked hesitantly on approach, seeing the woman looking decidedly more human. She turned and he inhaled sharply at the one brilliant cerulean iris while the other still the flaming red of the demon. He swallowed hard, reaching slowly for his sword.

"We can't kill him. I know this now. But there's certainly things we can do in the interim to slow him down!" She yelled, pushing forward and knocking him back with her blade. The others drew their weapons and followed suit, Caius bellowing in anger as he defended against the sudden onslaught. Where he clashed with Rosch, he parried with Lightning. When he struck with Sazh, he sparked his blade against Rygdea's. He somehow managed to keep up with all of them, while Vanille hung back to keep Fang out of harm's way and attempted in vain to heal her.

"Snow!" Lightning called out, drawing the blonde's attention as he helped Sazh up. "You've got the power of the Ice Queen running through your veins now, and we're surrounded by it! See if you can do something worthwhile with that toy I gave you!" He nodded with a massive grin and brought his hand around, closing it into a fist tightly.

Snow let the ice crystal form into a jagged sharp point taller than he was. The black lines ran further across his face in jagged patterns and sharp crystal. He slammed the ice spear down into the ground hard, causing the frozen tombs around them to shake and shudder. Caius was thrown back against the ice, his eyes narrowing at the unexpected inclusion of the other human. He roared and surged forward, smashing his blade into the icy spires coming off Snow's arm, sending him sliding backwards.

"A little help here?" He called out nervously as he felt his footing start to give and the ice crystals creaking under the pressure. With a grunt he forced the King's blade to the side, allowing him to slide out of the way. Lightning came rushing back in with a fast flurry of movement, her swords striking at him wherever she could find an opening. She knocked him backwards and sent an electric bolt ripping through the air to keep him away for the moment.

"We can't kill him without destroying everything else. Yet he won't stand down. Any ideas?"

"Yeah," Snow replied with a clench of his crystal covered fist. "A real big, real stupid one." He planted the ice spear into the ground once more, the ground making a horrible screech as the ice shifted beneath their feet. Cracks began to appear along the surface, and the souls began to be freed from their prisons. They flitted from the cracks, escaping through the Void and making for the lands above via the pit the others travelled down.

"No, you cannot take what is mine!" Caius roared, bringing his sword down against the blonde man. Snow was thrown back against Serah's tomb as it shattered around him, Lightning rushing forward to catch her sister as she fell.

"Serah!" Both the elder Farron and Snow cried out at the same time as they held onto the young pinkette tightly. Sazh appeared next to them and nudged them both away.

"I've got her. Get back in there!"

The blonde man growled and leapt forward, leaving his fiancé lying in the death god's arms. He moved on instinct, pulling abilities from the shard in his arm that spread more deadly blue crystal along his form. Lightning paired up with the other Seraphim while Snow flanked Caius along with Rygdea. They all rushed at once, the clang of blades sparking and illuminating the cavern with brief flashes of burning light. With a snarl the King of Hell managed to get a decisive slash into the chest of Raines and the seraph fell back with a warning cry. Rygdea hurried to his side and pulled him out of the line of fire, checking over the wounds.

Rosch grew enraged and threw flumes of white fire at Caius, scorching his skin and giving the King a far more terrifying appearance than he already had. He launched himself in the air and swung his blade over his head with a howl of rage, but Lightning was there ready to take him on. She crossed her blades and bore the brunt of his fury as the mighty sword smashed down hard. The demigod felt the ice crack beneath her feet.

Lightning allowed the power to build in her body before letting out a cry, shooting an electric arc shunting through the blades as she tore them apart. As the blades moves outward, they caught on Caius' sword and snapped it in two, hurling the parts from Pulse's hands and embedding into the nearby cavern walls. He stared in disbelief, turning back to the pinkette with a content smile.

"You're strong enough. You've bested me. Do it. Rend the heart from my body and end this. I will keep coming for you and yours until you finish me."

"Not today, asshole." Lightning sneered, kicking him in the head with a steel capped boot. She glanced back at Snow who moved up alongside her and touched the brand on his arm gently. "I've got a better idea."

The blonde nodded with a knowing smile and planted his arm on Pulse's chest, the crystal freezing the demon king's body on contact. "Shiva sends her regards." He growled, pulling at the ice in his body and entrapping Caius in an icy prison. The king of hell had his face frozen in rage and disbelief as he came to a standstill in the middle of the Void. Ice built up around him, completely entombing him deep within. He was rendered immobile, unable to continue his mad crusade against all life itself.

A cold silence fell over the dark space, save for the panting of everyone trying to catch their breath. Lightning looked over at the unconscious form of her sister as Snow approached, gently brushing the pale hair from her face. She walked slowly over to him and checked for signs of injury. Sazh nodded calmly, giving them both reassurances that Serah was ok.

A quiet sob from Vanille drew her gaze over to the fallen demon. It tore at Lightning's heart that they were not out of the woods yet, and she knew her sibling was in good hands. "You got her? Keep her safe." She said quietly, sparing a moment to place a hand on Snow's shoulder firmly. It was the closest thing he'd gotten to acceptance from her in the entire time he'd known Serah and he smiled broadly.

"Always."

The pinkette ran over to the demons and dropped to her knees as she got closer, sliding along the black ice to come to a stop next to Fang. "Is she..." she trailed off, afraid of the response. The redhead bit her lips, trying to force the tears from her eyes.

"I can't heal her. The injuries are too much and Caius' blade was corrupted. It's preventing the wounds from healing. She's going to... Going to..." Vanille sniffed, the black lines across her skin shifting with each heaving breath she took. "There's no souls down here to give her. They all escaped earlier when Snow released them during the fight. There's no souls that could hope to save her."

_Nothing else holds value to a demon._

Lightning's eyes raised up to meet the redhead's and she smiled sadly. "Yes there is." She placed her hand against her chest, drawing a white light to the surface. A soul shard appeared and she pulled it from her armour, placing it against the demon's chest. It sunk into her skin and Fang's eyes opened immediately, her spine arching as she rasped. Lightning and Vanille hung onto her as her body thrashed around until it calmed and life came back into the jade irises.

The pinkette held onto her, whispering encouragements. Though whether they were to Fang or herself, she wasn't certain. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against the demon's forehead, letting a few errant tears escape. A shaking hand gently touched her face and she opened her eyes to find Fang staring up at her, bewildered.

"I can... Feel you in here." She rasped, tapping at her chest. "You... Gave me your soul?"

"Part of it." Lightning rasped, exhaustion taking hold and making her weak. She removed her helmet and ran her fingers through her own hair to readjust the wayward strands into order.

"But why?"

The pinkette laughed and leant down, nuzzling against the demon's cheek. "What can I say? I have a crush on my favourite customer. Wanted to keep you around."

Fang gave a pained laugh and grabbed the demigod by the collar, pulling her forward into a deep kiss. The two wrapped their arms around each other, Lightning whispering apology after apology when her fingers brushed near the stumps where the brunette's wings once were.

"Not your fault. It wasn't you."

"I should have been stronger."

Fang sat up and guided the human's eyes towards the others, where Snow was tending to the younger Farron. "Light, you are a human that managed to best one of the highest ranked of the Fallen, braved the circles of hell, defied the old gods, freed the  _dynemeis_ , freed your mother, freed your sister. You were strong enough." The demon tried to sit up but was still weak from her injuries. Lightning gave her a stern look and put a protective arm around her to steady her.

Sazh walked up behind them and stuck his scythe into the ground. "Well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm about ready for a nap. I'm gettin' too old for this shit."

The brunette managed to get out a laugh at his words. "You and me both, funny man. You and me both. Please tell me we can leave and… Go get a drink." The death god looked at the massive mountain of ice that was continuing to form and grow around Caius' frozen form and hummed.

"Not like he's going anywhere anytime soon. We're not done by a long shot, but at least the threat has passed." He replied with a heavy sigh, Rosch and Rygdea both helping Raines to stand with his injuries and agreeing. The silver-haired cherubim looked at the ice prison and pursed his lips.

"Sazh is right. There is still the matter of the Sanctum to attend to." Rosch said, breaking the mood for all. "But, I think a rest is in order while the immediate issue has been… Resolved."

The redhead took a cautious look back at Caius before grabbing Lightning by the neck. The human's eyes fluttered closed as she felt Vanille enter her mind. "Thanks. Just looking for a destination." The  _dynameis_  quipped and tore open the air in front of them.

"You and I need to have serious words about personal boundaries after this." Lightning muttered, picking up the brunette in her arms. She saw Snow do the same with her sister and nodded. She glanced back at the frozen form of Caius and shivered. His eyes bore into hers, and she caught the edges of fear in his vision.

Even after everything that had happened, she couldn't help but feel pity for the King of Hell. Manipulated at every turn into madness by an absent and jealous god until he saw oblivion for all as the only way to finally find peace. "I'm sorry." She whispered, and saw his eyes widen. Lightning felt Fang's arms tighten around her neck and she glanced down and smiled.

The portal shimmered in front of them as one by one they stepped through. Lightning and Fang stood at the cusp between worlds, giving one final look back at Caius, imprisoned in ice and completely aware of his own fate. His eyes were now closed with a look of sorrow on his frozen face. The brunette directed Lightning's line of sight down to her with slender fingers trailing along her jaw.

"Come on, Light. Let's not linger here any longer than we need to."

The pinkette nodded and held Fang close. "You're right. Let's go home. I think I owe you a caramel latte with my number on it."

The demon's eyes lit up with joy as they stepped through the portal and it closed behind them.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh internet, I've missed you. HERE HAVE SOME ANGST WHILE I UNPACK MY NEW HOUSE.

When Lightning's vision cleared, she fell to her knees when she was met with her familiar bookshelves, her furniture, her apartment. _Her home_. Still managing to keep a hold of the demon in her arms, she closed her eyes and fought back the overwhelming emotions that threatened to overrun her.

With a hard swallow, Lightning slowly stood and stared down at her hands as they held the brunette. At this point the thought of being referred to as human felt foreign, given everything she had been through. She spied her reflection in the mirror. Aside from the one bright red-lined Iris with fiery lines scorching down the right side of her face, the rest of her looked human enough. If she didn't count the wings taking up space in her apartment. Guilt surged through her at the reminder of what she had taken from Fang.

She stood and carried the demon into her bedroom, laying her down on the bed and running her hand through the dark locks. Lightning placed her helmet on the bedside table with a sigh. She felt torn; somewhere between wanting to collapse on the floor and cry until death took her and laughing maniacally until she was carted away to a padded cell. The helmet looked so out of place, next to the book she had been reading and her name badge from the cafe that one of her colleagues had stuck masking tape over and had written her nickname in marker. It felt like another life, and she was intruding on it.

"Claire...?" the soft, weak voice from behind her made Lightning freeze. Her sister's hand slid over her shoulder and she reluctantly turned to meet the eyes of the Younger Farron. Serah brushed the hair out of the now demigod's face to see the demonic eye. "You did all this... For me..."

If there was any shame over her appearance, it evaporated the moment the younger pinkette threw her arms around Lightning's neck. After a while Lightning guided her from the room to let Fang rest, and turned back when she realised it wasn't that hard to get through the doorway. The huge wings had seemingly evaporated, disappearing along with the lines along her face. Glancing up at Snow, she saw the ice crystals flake off and vanish, leaving them both looking human.

"Wait what? How did…"

"It's the Veil," Sazh explained, clicking his fingers to remove his robe, replacing it with a jacket and pants that would be more passable to the human world. "They're all still there, I'm afraid. But the Veil helps hide it, helps hide us."

The blonde scratched his arm where the mark was. It now just looked like a regrettable tattoo from a wild night out. His eyes darted between his fiancé and her sister, unsure of how to air the question he wanted to ask. Lightning met his eyes and seemed to read his intentions. She gave him the first genuine smile he'd ever received from her and nodded in the direction of Serah's bedroom. "Go on, get some rest. We'll talk more later." She said quietly, letting them leave.

Lighting spied Vanille sitting on the couch, gently shifting about on it. They were probably all beyond filthy, and previously the pinkette might have taken exception to it, but at this point after knowing what the  _dynameis_  had gone through, asking her to take a shower before climbing on the furniture probably was a little much. To her former self's relief, Vanille at least took her tattered shoes off before curling up on the lounge and going to sleep almost immediately. Lightning sighed at her strange new family, fetching a blanket and placing it over her.

A blinding light illuminated her kitchen as Rosch, Raines and Rygdea appeared in the small space, looking exhausted and out of breath.

"Everything alright?" The pinkette asked, stepping out of the lounge room to allow everyone to rest.

"Rosch did a number on the elements down there and put up as many wards as he could before we left. It'll alert us if anyone else goes near the Void, near him."

Lightning groaned and rubbed her face with her hands. "I suppose it was all too good to be true that we could take a break, have a holiday from this mess."

Sazh entered the kitchen and laughed. "While Caius has been neutralised, it still doesn't take away that this was all originally the plan of the upper echelon in Sanctum. Until they're stopped, there's a risk Pulse could be freed."

"So we're not done." Lightning concluded, folding her arms and staring at the ceiling in frustration.

"Not by a long shot, kid." The death god replied with a pat on her shoulder. "I've gotta head back to my digs, make sure Lebreau hasn't burnt it down in my absence. Make a few calls. You be ok here with them?" The pinkette could only nod, exhaustion gripping her movements and making her falter. Rygdea nudged his old friends and gave them a wink.

"What's say we head off with Sazh and give these girls some space? Maker knows I could use a drink."

Rosch looked mortified and scoffed at the demon. "We don't imbibe." He quipped, lips thin in disapproval. The redhead merely laughed richly and clapped him on the back.

"And Seraphim don't try to create cosmos-ending cataclysms either. Face it, feathers. You're amongst the peasants now." Cid stifled a laugh from behind the Seraph and they blinked out of the apartment. Lightning was left alone for the first time in ages, surprised at herself that she didn't like the feeling one bit.

A murmur came from her bedroom and she recalled what happened the last time Fang woke up in an unfamiliar place. At least that was something she had some modicum of control over. The pinkette dragged her feet into the room to find Fang sprawled on the bed, out to the world. The sound of soft breaths from the demon could only just be heard as Lightning slid into bed beside her. She smiled and brushed the hair from the brunette's eyes, watching carefully as the jade eyes fluttered open at the touch.

"Hey," Lightning said quietly, stroking the side of the demon's face. Her hand was captured by Fang, her jade eyes looking straight through her and reading her like an open book.

"Hey yourself." The brunette replied and pulled her into her chest, wrapping her arms around her tightly. She waited patiently until the first of the sobs choked their way from Lightning's throat, and continued to hold her tightly until they both fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

* * *

 

It wasn't the sunlight that brought Fang back into awareness, like last time. Rather, it was the grumpy groan that came from beside her from a very unhappy pinkette.

"Stupid sun. Make the sun go away." Lightning murmured as she buried herself as best she could into the crook of the demon's neck, causing her to laugh. Fang gestured lazily in the air and drew the curtains together with magic before turning to press her lips against the pinkette's hair. Her heart was doing flips at the sight, no longer feeling that crushing ache upon waking.

Lightning's eyes snapped open, suddenly remembering where  _she_  was and sat bolt upright in bed. "Woah. Good morning to you too," Fang said with a quirk of her eyebrow, running her hand along the pale arm next to her.

"Fang, you're… You're alright."

"That's right sweetness, I'm here, I'm in one piece, and I've got you. I think, not a bad turn of events, all things considered." The pinkette laughed at her response and leant over, pulling her into a passionate kiss. The demon immediately responded, all thoughts of going back to sleep vanishing in an instant with a sharp inhale. "Light," she panted, feeling the human's fingertips trailing along her rib cage.

A throat clearing in the doorway had them splitting apart quickly, to find Serah standing there with a bright red face. "I… I was just coming to check on you, to make sure you were… Fine… I see that wasn't needed…" She stammered, Lightning coughing awkwardly before leaping out of bed and bundling her sister in her arms.

"I'm so glad you're safe." She whispered quietly, feeling Serah's arms tighten around her.

"Snow… He told me what you had done, what you went through to save me. Is it all true?"

Lightning could only nod, averting her gaze from her sister. Before, she was filled with so much anger, so much bitterness, it allowed the doorway into their lives for hell to manifest in ways never before known. Now, casting a quick glance back at Fang who was watching the two of them carefully, she felt nothing but love and a strange sort of peace. "Serah, I'm so sorry for everything. If I hadn't have been so selfish, so closed off, maybe I could have-"

"No, you couldn't have." Serah interrupted, guiding her eyes back to meet her own. "Hell would have come for us both, one way or another." If she concentrated, she could see her sister's wings behind her, hidden in the veil. The younger Farron found them to be quite beautiful. She reached out and felt her fingers pass through them like mist, and heard the demon chuckle from over on the bed.

"The veil helps keeps things incorporeal, for the most part, unless she wants you to see them."

"Hm?" Lightning hummed in confusion, before Fang gestured at her back.

"She's eyeing off your wings, Light. The veil was ripped from her eyes as well. Not a door you can close once it's opened, I'm afraid."

Serah nodded, and smiled at the brunette. "Yours are lovely too, by the way."

"My what?" Fang quipped with raised eyebrows, before she gestured in the air. A glyph appeared in the middle of the room that shimmered before dissipating into the air. The demon stood and looked in the mirror with surprise. "Well, whaddya know. Miracles do happen when we make them, huh?" She whispered, seeing small wings where the stumps had remained. Growing slowly, but surely. Lightning moved up behind her and ran her fingers through the feathers, causing Fang to gasp and arch her spine. "Easy, Farron," She hissed, "Not while your sister's in the room, yeah?"

Lightning removed her hand quickly, frowning at the demon's words. Her confusion evaporated the moment Fang reciprocated the touch on her own dark feathers and she blushed to her roots. "Ok, you've made your point…" She replied through gritted teeth, eyeing off the younger Farron's giggle at their expense.

Serah gave them a grin and waved at her sister. "Well, Claire, it's good to see you happy, whatever hell you went through to find it." She skipped out of the room before Lightning had a chance to react, and the elder Farron was left glaring at the doorway in her wake.

"Was that… Did she just…  I can't believe she made a joke like that."

She felt arms slip around her waist and the wings disappear, hearing Fang chuckling in her ear. "So love, what's say we do something about that coffee?" She purred, causing the pinkette to shiver.

"Oerba Yun Fang, I compel you to make your own damn coffee." Lightning drawled, yelping as she was turned in the demon's arms.

"Ah ah ah, collar's gone and pact's done love, you don't get to boss me around anymore."

Lightning grinned, a mischievous expression crossing her features as she drew her finger along where the collar once lay on the brunette's throat. "So what are you going to do about it then?"

Fang merely smiled a predatory smile and kicked the door shut, dragging her back to the bed.

* * *

 

The two emerged some time later, Lightning looking somewhat dishevelled and drained. Fang hovered close, with an arm around her waist or a hand on her knee as they sat at the bench. Vanille came into the kitchen with a stretch and a wave, the two women nodding their heads in acknowledgement.

"How are you feeling Vanille?" The pinkette asked, yawning as she made a move to the coffee machine to start it up. It felt odd that she fell so easily back into her routine, like the last weeks never happened… Weeks? Months? How long had it even been? Snow had said they'd been gone for half a year or more, had they really been down there for that long? It felt both shorter and longer at the same time, a fact that unsettled her. She shook herself from her thoughts and went about steaming the milk, the redhead watching with fascination. When the young  _dynameis_  realised she'd been asked a question, she squeaked and held her hands to her lips with a muted apology.

"Sorry. I get distracted easily by this world. It's so fascinating! I am well, thank you. I woke up a couple of hours ago and have been spending time in the records catching up on things."

Lightning's head snapped up at the response, as did Fang's. "Records? As in the Akashic Records? You left the apartment? For the love of… Vanille, I literally have just gotten you back after several thousand years of waiting. I'm not going to lose you to the Thrones or anyone else from Sanctum because you wanted to stretch your legs."

The redhead just rolled her eyes and pointed at the couch behind her in the lounge room. "I didn't have to go far, he came to me."

" _He_?" Lightning repeated, tensing and feeling for a weapon that wasn't currently there. She walked into the living space and peered over the back of the couch to find a silver-haired boy napping on one end, his clothing torn and burnt. "Hope?"

Fang's face dropped at the mentioning of the keeper, but winced as she made her way to Lightning's side and saw the state of him. "Vanille, you couldn't have led with  _hey guys there's a keeper in the apartment_? Etro, what happened to him?" She asked, immediately concerned. Without thinking she wrapped an arm around the pinkette's waist, who pressed into the contact rather than shrinking away from it.

The boy's eyes fluttered open and he paled at the forms standing over him. "Oh… Hello…" He rasped, slowly sitting up. "Lightning, I'm sorry I've intruded in your home like this but… Nowhere is safe."

The human sat down next to him while Fang headed for the kitchen. She returned with a glass of water and handed it to him before taking her place next to Lightning.

"Thank you," Hope replied quietly, cradling the glass in his hands. "I don't know what happened. All I remember is that there was a noise, and then the records were burning. There were many Keepers slain. We all escaped where we could, all in hiding. Many are... Gone."

Lightning shared a nervous glance with Fang. "This wasn't our doing, was it?" The pinkette asked, worried about the answer. Did unleashing everyone in Dis have unforeseen consequences? Hope shook his head, looking down at his hands.

"I know what you're about to ask and no. It wasn't any of the  _Dynameis_ thatwereresponsible. It was the Sanctum. One of the other Keepers managed to find a record of your sister being taken. It's all being orchestrated by Barthandelus. His Seraphim came to the archives to attempt to destroy them."

Fang paled and her hands dropped limply by her sides. "Barth…andelus… Tried to destroy the records?" She stammered, incredulous.

Even Vanille was taken aback. The redhead had spent her morning catching up on events in the world and beyond with Hope when he had shown up on Lightning's door step, clothing still smoking from the attack. But even this was beyond comprehension; that one of the highest ranked in the Sanctum would willingly seek the ending of everything for a pipe dream.

"Barthandelus doesn't know that his plan won't work. If we've foiled his plan, he's likely trying to destroy evidence and find another way to his ends." She muttered, all eyes suddenly darting to her. She glanced around and grinned sheepishly, not realising she spoke out loud. "He wasn't counting on anyone getting out but, can we hide the Keeper? He's nice."

Lightning glanced at Fang with a concerned look on her face. "We need to go see Sazh." She said with a resigned expression. She jumped as she felt a hand slip into her own that didn't belong to the brunette, to find her sister staring up at her, holding onto her.

"I'm coming too."

"Serah it's too dangerous."

The younger Farron shook her head, frowning as she did so. "I don't feel safe in this apartment on my own, even with whatever you did to Snow." Lightning's jaw snapped shut at the response, casting a nervous glance back up at the demon. Fang simply shrugged and let her hands lay limply at her sides.

"Don't look at me, Sunshine. She's got a point."

"Tch. Fine."

They all left the apartment in silence, Vanille keeping Hope close to her and providing him with ample shielding to keep him hidden. Lightning stood just outside the bar where Sazh resided about twenty minutes later, arms folded and staring down the demonic bouncer. She hissed through her teeth with narrowed eyes and turned to her sister.

"Don't wander off, don't drink anything, don't take anything that's offered and Snow I swear to hell and back if you let her out of your sight I will end you."

Fang frowned and scratched at her neck. Admittedly she was curious to see if the vibe of the bar had changed any following recent events in Hell. Were they all free of the arduous task of soul harvesting now that the truth was revealed and the eternal debt collector was entombed in ice? To her dismay, it was all business as usual as they descended the stairs, the throbbing music, the writhing bodies, the corruption that she could see hit the humans like a punch to the stomach the instant they hit the bar floor.

"Goddess," Light breathed, shuddering hard at the atmosphere. "I had hoped that a trip through Hell would have steeled me a little more for this." She admitted, feeling a little dizzy. There was something else amongst the swirling thoughts in her head and it wasn't until she cast a glance back at her sister and the way the younger pinkette was staring at her surroundings did she realise the feeling for what it was. She was thirsty. Like she had been crawling through sand for weeks. But no water would suffice her dry throat, only the corruption of mortal souls. Her nails dug into Fang's arm and the brunette yelped, grabbing onto her tightly. "What the hell is this... This feeling?"

"Come on Light, deep calming breaths. Remember what I told you back in the circles. A human's life-force- their blood, their soul.. It's all sustenance to us. It'll… Call to you too." She said through gritted teeth as she waved the bartender down.

"Fang! You're back! And I see you've brought some companyyyyyy-ohhhh what happened to your sweet human?" Lebreau exclaimed, pointing at the elder Farron's face. The demon arched an eyebrow and looked over at the pinkette. She cursed internally as she saw the etchings of fire begin to streak across the right side of her face, and her right eye swirl with black and red hues.

"A long story that requires drinks and another time, Lebreau. We gotta see Sazh.  _Now._ "

The raven-haired woman simply nodded and beckoned for everyone to follow. "He said to let you through if you showed up so no fanfare this time. Through the back, you know the way." She left the group to their own path, Fang casting an uneasy glance back at the bartender and grabbing her by the wrist as the others moved forward.

"Hey, 'Breau, what gives with this place? Hasn't anyone heard the news? Pulse is gone. We don't have to keep doing this shit anymore."

Lebreau merely slid her wrist out from the demon's grasp and sighed. "Fang, we've been at this game for millennia now. Shit isn't going to change overnight because the head honcho is out of the picture. These days, this is all most of us know. For some, it's all they want."

"And you? What will you do now?"

"Same thing I do every night, babe. I serve drinks." The bartender quipped and vanished from the room in a puff of smoke. Fang sighed heavily and turned away, jogging to catch up with the others. The doorway was devoid of the usual guardians and it gave her an uneasy feeling as she entered the hallway. She found Lightning waiting just inside, alone.

"I was waiting for you." The pinkette said, drawing a ragged breath. She looked up at Fang and revealed half her face marred by the fiery lines and her iris a deep red. "I suppose it was too much to hope that I'd finally embrace my demigod status and I'd not have to still be fighting with a demon inside me."

With the veil so thin in the hallway, Fang frowned and unfurled the wings from her back, eyeing off how large they'd grown in such a short time. She figured in another couple of days they'd be back to their regular size. "You're not a demon, Light. You're more than that." The brunette shivered as Lightning ran her fingers along the plume of feathers on one wing.

"You've got a part of my soul within you now too, Fang. What does that make you? What does that make us?"

Fang swallowed hard and took the pinkette by the hands. "It makes us whatever we want to be." She said quietly, meaning every layer between the lines. The pinkette simply nodded and squeezed her hands back before they continued onto Sazh's office, staying close. The Death God was pacing behind his desk while everyone else stood patiently. Rygdea was sitting in the corner on a plush chair, toying with a knife in his hands.

"Hey, Sazh man. What gives? Where's Yinepu and Thoth?" Fang asked, hailing him as they entered. He groaned and waved dismissively at them, resuming his pacing without a second glance. The brunette frowned and conjured a small fire ball, hurling it just past his face. He let off a shout of fright as he leapt back and whirled, ready to fight. When he saw it was Fang standing there, tapping her foot impatiently he took a breath and held it to calm himself. "Come on Sazh, we woke up to find a Keeper in our apartment, the Akashic Records invaded and destroyed with most of the Keepers slain, and you're down here wearing treads into your tiling."

"Sorry. Sorry. I just..." Sazh trailed off and leant forward, resting his hands on his knees. "Yinepu and Thoth are helping me keep the souls safe, the ones we rescued from the forest." He explained, eyes darting between the two Farron siblings. "Sanctum has gone mad and Valhalla is burning so it's all hands on deck, whoever is willing to assist."

Lightning paled at the mentioning of the souls saved in the forest. She didn't want to think about what could have happened to everyone that they'd rescued, to her… She stepped forward and gripped his arm tightly. "Is she…" She trailed off, fearful of what was happening. He patted her lightly on the shoulder and nodded.

"She's safe. I kept her with me."

"Kept who? Claire?" Serah asked from behind the elder pinkette, taking her sister by the hand. Sazh spared them both a sympathetic glance and stepped back, pulling a lantern out of mist in the air. The young Farron heard the catch in her sister's breath and placed a hand on the small of her back. "Claire?"

Lightning turned and hugged her close, kissing the top of her head. "You were right in what you said earlier, Serah. Hell would have come for us no matter what we did. They already had." She whispered, holding onto her sister tight as she nodded at the Death God to do his work. He opened the door to the lantern and coaxed a white light out into the room, and it swirled around them as it began to grow and take shape. "It wasn't just you that we freed, Serah." The pinkette continued, her voice strained.

"What are you… Oh my god." Serah gasped and her hands shot to her mouth as the light faded, and in its wake was their mother, ethereal in her beauty. "Mom?"

The spirit smiled softly and extended her hands. "My girls have grown so strong, so beautiful…" Both Farron sisters teared up at the sight, sobs escaping their throats when they touched solid form instead of a mirage. Their mother bundled them both up in her arms and held them close, trying to hush their tears with gentle stroking of their hair. She stood back and took Serah by the hands, running her thumbs over the back of them with a look of fascination. "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you, that I had to leave. I wasn't strong enough to fend them off. I didn't have someone like your sister to protect me."

Serah frowned at her mother, before the realisation dawned on her, the hidden meaning beneath the words. She leapt forward and embraced her, shaking her head through quiet sobs. "It's ok, I know it wasn't your fault. I did ok."

"And is that love I see in the picture as well?" Her mother chided gently, trailing a finger over the engagement ring. Serah blushed and looked over at the blonde man standing nervously by the desk. She gestured for him to come over and he ambled over, looking anxious.

"This is Snow Villiers, my fiancé. He was with Lightning when…"

"Mr Villers. My name is Briahna, and anyone willing to take a literal road through hell for my daughter is more than welcome in my family." The Farron's mother said with a warm smile and a shake of his hand.

Snow coughed and nodded. "Honoured," he managed to stammer out before stepping back and giving the family space. Briahna turned and held her eldest by her face, running her thumbs along her cheeks. "You've done so well, Claire. I am so proud of you."

Lightning looked away, blinking back the tears as best she could. "You wouldn't say that if you saw what I had to go through… What I've become."

"But I see you now," her mother said with a tilt of her head, bringing her daughter's gaze back to her. "I see you, and the strong woman you have grown into. And the strength that it took to free your sister, to free all of us. Besides, even if you grew horns and turned into a demon," she continued with a pointed stare and a nudge in the ribs. "That wouldn't change that you're my daughter, and I love you, and I am proud of you."

Lightning looked at her mother with disbelief. Briahna looked over her daughter's shoulder and smiled at the brunette watching them curiously. "I see you too have found love as well. Happiness suits you, my little éclair."

The demon bowed slightly and held her hand up to her face when a bright light filled the room. Rosch and Cid appeared in the office, looking exhausted. The Seraph's eyebrows rose at the sight before him and he ducked his head in apology. "I am sorry, we have come at an… Inopportune time." The pinkette sighed and squeezed her mother's hands once more. Happiness would only last as long as the world remained free and Sanctum's mad plan was stopped.

"No rest for the wicked, right Yun?" Rygdea called out from his spot in the corner, causing the brunette to laugh.

"You got that bloody right," she replied with an apologetic nod towards the Farron family. Lightning knew what it meant but stopped Sazh when he lifted the lantern up.

"Wait. Just… Wait." She said, stalking around the table and getting in Rosch's face. "How are you going to fix this?" The pinkette snapped, causing the room to go deathly silent. The angel looked taken aback, and for once had no reply to give. He searched her face for meaning and when he found it, he lowered his eyes to the ground with a nod.

"What would you have me do, Claire Farron? I am in your debt for everything you've done, for everything you've been through."

Lightning didn't pause for breath. "Make her one of you." If Rosch's eyes were any wider, they would have fallen from his sockets. "You heard me. If we get this done, make her one of you. Take her, and the other lost souls driven mad by your war. Take them to Valhalla, and make them all like you.  _Maker knows_  you're going to need the numbers once we're through taking out the trash." She growled, the fiery lines on her face flaring with her growing anger. Fang stepped forward and placed her hand on the back of the pinkette's neck, stroking the skin gently in the hopes it would calm her. But it was Rosch that served that purpose with a slow nod of his head.

"If they wish it, so be it." He said, pausing as he looked into the red-hued iris of her right eye. "I am fascinated though, human. Why did you not ask for us to make you whole again? Ask us to remove the demon from your soul?"

Lightning glanced at the brunette standing next to her and took her hand. She didn't once break eye contact with her as she replied to the Seraphim.

"Because I am exactly what I need to be, where I need to be, whatever I want to be."


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between the storms, the power outages, the oppressive heat wave and just general madness, if I look at this chapter any longer I will probably throw my keyboard through my screen. Edit 11/03/2018: I ended up doing a mild edit on this chapter to draw the fight out a little bit more as I wasn't happy with the result and the previous iteration is what happens when you try to force your way through a block rather than going and focusing on something else for five bloody minutes!

They all stood on the edge of a cliff near the beach the following morning at sunrise, looking out over the ocean. The air was crisp and Lightning found herself shivering, stepping closer to Fang for the last bit of warmth before they embarked on a potentially fatal journey.

When Rygdea had shown up with Cid and Rosch it was time. Sazh removed his scythe from the ethers and tore the air open before them. The distortion revealed a white city on the cusp of black beaches and a seemingly endless, illuminated sea.

Fang felt her knees start to give way and Lightning caught her as she pitched forward. Rygdea too looked unsteady on his feet, gripping at Cid's shoulder to keep himself upright. The two demons spared a glance at one another, immediately seeing that eternal pain mirrored in each other's eyes. Vanille clutched at Fang's side with a small whimper and the elder demon put a comforting arm around her.

"You think you forget a place, but it all comes rushing back in an instant." Fang croaked. The marble paths, the opulence of the bone white towers of Valhalla, it was all so breathtakingly blinding. She took a few minutes to compose herself, clutching at Lightning's hand until her knuckles turned white.

"You going to be ok?" Lightning asked, hesitant to let the demon out of her sight. Fang nodded after a few more breaths and slowly relaxed her grip. "Come on. Lead the way, Rosch."

The Seraph bowed and stepped into the portal, the others warily following suit. Lightning felt her casual clothing fall away, replaced with the armour she wore when taking on Pulse. She felt the wings unfurl from her back, and the fiery lines crack across the right side of her face. On the other side of the Veil, nothing could hide what Lightning had become.

An internal laugh rattled through Lightning's head at the ludicrousness of the situation. She doubted she would be going back to making coffees and medical school anytime soon. She felt dizzy, to be standing in such a place as they moved along the black beach towards the city gates. This was the Valhalla of legend and countless religious texts. The place the souls go to be judged after they finally passed the mortal realm.

But who judges the judges? Who keeps them in check when everything that has happened was essentially allowed to occur under their watch? Lightning growled at the thought and conjured her blade, ready for anything that was about to occur.

A horn sounded in the distance, along the battlements atop the city gates. Rygdea sighed and turned to Vanille with a lazy gesture. "Looks like the welcoming committee is ready and waiting, think we can do something about that?" He asked, the small redhead looking nervous as she fidgeted with her hands.

"I can try, but if the city layout has changed since we were last here I could wind up teleporting us into the middle of an army, or a wall. I doubt Rosch or Cid are going to let me go digging around in their minds for a safe location either."

Rosch heard her and suppressed a disgusted sneer at the thought, reminding himself that they were not the enemy. Not anymore. He peered at the gates beyond the beach. "Go home, Vanille. It is still there, such as it is." He replied quietly. The small demon pursed her lips in uncertainty, but with a twitch of her eye the world around them suddenly lurched forward and they all found themselves standing in charred ruins.

Fang kept quiet, her emotions already straining to surface with the intensity of them all. Somehow, this part of the city they found themselves in hadn't been rebuilt. "Why is this all still… Like this?" She asked, bewildered at the destruction lining the streets. Cid clenched his jaw and looked away, feeling ashamed at how much his friends had been harmed by lies.

"The Sanctum echelon decided against rebuilding this ward, to serve as a reminder for anyone else that thought to rebel against the Order. It was merely left to smoulder with eternal coals and renamed  _Muspelheim_."

" _The Place of Fire_. How fitting." Fang growled, her fingers tightening around her lance. With a cursory glance behind her, she was relieved to see her wings returned to their former glory both in feathers and their size, fully regrown. But it wasn't enough for her. She didn't want to return to the White City as she had been, looking like nothing had changed. Everything had changed for her. In an instant, in an eternity.

"Fang?"

Lightning's voice, laced with concern had her attention drawn towards the human. Her eyes were darting over the demon's body. When Fang followed her gaze, she was surprisingly pleased to find the lines of fire spreading across her arms and up her neck. She knew her eyes were turning black, and alighting with that familiar blood red fury from the expression on the pinkette's face. Her horns were long gone at this point, as was her tail. Gifts courtesy of whatever Lightning had done to save her. But the fire still remained. Fang had a feeling that the fire would always remain regardless.

"Good. This is good. I want them to see what they've done. I want them to see how I've suffered. And how with the fire in my flesh I am going to tear the sheltered sky from this precious nest."

Cid stepped forward and gently took her hand, observing the bright lines that trailed along her skin. "You have every right to feel the way you do, Yun. I do not fault you for any of it. The fault is our own, for remaining blind while you all were taken from us. But don't let your desire for revenge cloud your vision here. You need your wits about you, for whatever Barthandelus has been planning in  _all_  of our absence."

The rage burned higher within Fang's blood at his words, before she took a breath and held it at Lightning's silent but stern prompting. The demon felt herself tugged away from the others and into a charred room. "Take a few breaths. This place isn't just here as a deterrent for anyone else. Its here as an insult to you. An insurance policy to take your focus away should you return. Don't let their plans work." Lightning probed gently, circling her arms around Fang's waist.

"I know Light, I know. It's just... it feels like I was only here moments ago, and lifetimes all at the same time." Fang felt herself pulled into a kiss, gentle and caring, warm lips pressing lightly on her own.

"It's alright, Fang. You can get through this. We will get through this."

"Thanks, Light. I... Wait. What is..." Fang trailed off and unlatched herself from the pinkette. She knelt down in the ashes and moved aside some rubble before her eyes lit up. "Hey, 'Nille! Get in here!"

Quiet rushing footsteps strode through the ruined house and came to a stop in the doorway. "... Is that what I think it is?" She asked, running over and snatching a crystal from Fang's hand.

"It is. I can't believe they didn't even think to do a sweep and this has been here the whole time... Morons. Want to go pick up something that's  _really_  going to ruin Barthandelus' day?"

The smile that crossed Vanille's face was both broad and devious. "Oh hell yes I do." She vanished from the room with a flash, returning seconds later with Rygdea. He stumbled forward, disorientated by the sudden shift in location.

"Etro, girly you gotta give a man some warning when you're about to pull that shit." He complained, jumping when Vanille grinned and clutched at his arm. She pulled Fang to her feet with a wink and nodded to Lightning.

"We'll be back in a second. You'll be safe here for the moment. Warning!"

"Vanille, for fu-" Rygdea's further protests were cut off in a sea of mist as the demonic trio disappeared from the room, leaving Lightning staring at the empty space in confusion. Sazh and the other Seraphim ran into the room to find the demigod alone.

"Where'd they all run off to?" The Death god queried, eyeballing their surroundings in suspicion. Lightning shrugged and shook her head.

"I dunno. Fang found some kind of crystal and they all took off."

Rosch and Cid gave each other exasperated glances. Sazh could only laugh. "So she still had a marker crystal huh?" He turned to face Lightning's confused expression to explain. "They're used in portal workings to make hidden places. Safe houses. You can't open a portal to the location if you're not holding the crystal. I wonder what Fang's been hiding there all these years..."

Black mist swirled again and the trio returned, Rosch whirling on them ready to lecture. "You can't just disappear into... thin air... You..."

Lightning turned and nearly swallowed her tongue. Fang, Vanille and Rygdea had returned, clad in black armour that she thought would have been at home on a knight about to take on a dragon. She supposed in a way that was exactly what they were about to do. The steel headbands that framed their faces gave them a fierce profile.

"Come on Rosch, you had to know I would have kept spares. You lot may have burned the ward to the ground, but we weren't stupid enough to house the resistance armoury in the city. Of course I wouldn't be making my triumphant return without my precious Dragoon armour."

Rygdea preened, adjusting his chestplate with a smile. "Good to know the wards have still worked after all this time, everything has been sealed and preserved well."

Vanille scoffed and rolled her eyes at his words. "Of course they held.  _I made them._ "

Lightning was eyeing off the dark armour with an appreciative hum. The curves of the metal plating hugged the demon like she was made to wear it. Fang caught her eye and stepped closer, the armour clunking lightly with every step. "Like what you see, Sunshine?"

"You certainly... Look good in armour." Lightning replied, biting at her own lip. Fang leant forward, indulging in a kiss that was all passion and a little bit of spite towards the Maker and his ridiculous rules.

"I assure you I look better out of it." She purred, earning a slap on her side.

"Are you seriously thinking about that  _now_?"

"Now that I know what loving you feels like, you'll find there's a lot of things I think about you."

Lightning coughed nervously and looked away, a blush covering her face.

"If y'all are done making me ill with this saccharine display, we have a reality to save?" Rygdea drawled from over by the doorway, calling them back to the present. Lightning ducked her head in apology and strode from the room to rendezvous with the others. Fang followed, feeling her friend's eyes on her the entire time. "Couldn't resist the middle finger to Bhunivelze could you?" He chided, bumping her hip with his own.

Fang could neither resist the opportunity, nor the smug grin as she sauntered out of her old home, feeling more determined than ever. "I hope the bastard does come back one day, then I can give him a middle finger for real."

They gathered in the main square, Fang remembering all too well what had transpired the last time she stood on the marble lined streets. Sazh cleared his throat and glanced around the empty streets nervously.

"Have we walked into a trap?" He asked, Fang giving him a lazy shrug coupled with a savage grin.

"Only one way to find out," she replied, swinging her lance around and crouching down on the ground. Fang leapt into the air, twirling her weapon and bringing it around as she descended with a fierce cry. The lance split the ground with a red flash of light, tearing the road ahead apart. Marble flew everywhere and smashed into buildings, causing Rosch to give her a disapproving click of his tongue.

"Was that necessary?"

"Yep."

A squadron of seraph rounded the corner and found themselves on uneven ground, tripping over the stone and losing their formation. Fang turned around and arched her eyebrow at Rosch and gave him a wink.

"Please, give me some credit, mate. You think I was known as the Blade of Pulse for just my pretty face?" She drawled, readying her weapon once more. Vanille touched her arm gently and drew her gaze down.

"Fang... Don't... Don't kill them, if you can avoid it. We were blinded on both sides." The redhead quietly begged, her elder sibling closing her eyes and nodding. With an audible sigh, Fang planted her lance in the ground and held up her hand to the advancing troops.

"Hold, my former brethren." Her voice boomed across the courtyard, the threatening command in her tone bringing them to an uncertain halt. She gestured to the streets around them and back towards her old ward with a frown. "Far be it for me to damage our home any further than it has already been. Our fair White City has seen its share of grief over countless ages, I will not see it brought through any more tragedy."

The other seraph shifted nervously on their feet, watching the armoured demon before them. "You... You're a traitor! Why should we believe anything you have to say from your serpent tongue?" One of them yelled out, bringing a renewed anger to the angels. A few gasps drew them back to silence when Rosch stepped forward, brandishing his rapier.

"If you won't believe her, you will believe me. We wish for no more wings severed, no more blood spilt in the name of lies. Yun Fang is far nobler than the lies of Sanctum would have you believe!"

A bemused laugh rang across the courtyard, the troop separating to allow Jihl to saunter through. Her heels clicked on the stone pathway, and the arrogance in her step obvious. "My my, Rosch. Such conviction in your words. Anyone would think you've become corrupted, consorting with demons and death..." She droned with a sneer. Nabaat drew her blade and stepped forward, her eyebrows raising at Lightning moving in front of Rosch with her own weapon at the ready.

"Come to allow me to finish what I started in the city of Dis, human?"

"No. Payback for your part in taking my sister, bitch." Lightning snarled, her rage at the arrogant Seraph causing her canines to lengthen, her body responding to the growing fury. While certainly having a better handle on her more demonic nature, it was obviously still very present. She revelled in how the other warrior angels took a few nervous steps back and clutched tighter at their swords. "You and your primarch seek oblivion for a mad delusion, and a false god. Stand down."

"I think not!" Jihl snapped and shot forward, slicing her blade in a savage fashion at the demigod that stood in defiance towards her. The Seraph would not have the same advantage this time around, Lightning being on even ground with her awakened powers. The streets erupted into chaos as the two clashed, the other angelic troops shocked into action as the demons rushed them to keep them back.

The clatter of metal pierced Lightning's ears as she fought, honing her focus into a being of pure reaction and instinct. She dodged, cut and sliced her way through the streets, aiming only disabling blows for anyone that got too close. The only one she was saving death for was Nabaat.

The others rallied together to push the other angels back, kicking them out of the way to push forward towards the Great Hall where the White Throne lay within. As the angelic squads were pushed back, some of them noted how Jihl was going in for the kill whereas their alleged enemies were at worst knocking angels unconscious.

The fighting reached the central tower of Valhalla, a handful of the Seraphic troops still standing while the demons, rebelling angels, death and demi-gods still fought to gain ground. The doors to the Hall flew open and a booming voice echoed a raging cry across the streets, causing everyone to pause in their battle. The Primarch, leader of the Sanctum stood in the doorway, looking furious.

Jihl flew to his side, ducking away from the brutal swinging of Lightning's blade. "Sir, you shouldn't be out in the open like this while these demons are out for blood. Please, allow me and the troops to handle these pathetic monsters who sully our city with their presence." She panted, breathless and weak from the continued relentless assault.

"Take your leave, Jihl. Your services are no longer required."

"Services? What? Sir..."

Lightning wouldn't get her chance at vengeance, with Barthandelus shooting forward and plunging his hand into Nabaat's chest. The blonde Seraph could only stare in shock and horror as she watched him rip her still beating heart from her chest. Jihl would never hear the answer to her rasping question of "Why?" as it fell from her lips with her last breath. Any of her troops in her vicinity were suddenly cast alight, white fire enveloping and consuming them before they could even let out a scream.

The other Seraph stepped back, no longer certain who they should be targeting. Sazh gave a quick gesture for them to retreat and it didn't take much prompting for them to flee. "By the Maker... Rosch was right, we must spread word," one of them whispered as they ran off.

"I got a real bad feeling about this," Sazh muttered, causing Lightning to roll her shoulders to ease the climbing tension.

"No kidding."

Fang stepped forward and pointed her lance at the leader of the Sanctum. She had waited long enough for answers. "What's your game, old man? Doesn't seem right that you get to sit in an ivory tower murdering your own kin in cold blood while we were cast out and burnt for millennia for far less."

Barthandelus laughed, flexing his bony fingers around his staff. His withered face seemed to take on a more gaunt appearance as his expression turned bitter.

"You foolish children. Scurrying around like anything you do will change the fate of all of us. You still don't understand. Bhunivelze didn't cast you out because you were defying the  _Maker_. You were sent into the burning pits of hell because your self-proclaimed king was getting too close to discovering the truth about the Order."

Fang gripped her lance and shot forward, the lines of fire flaring in rage. The hypocrisy was staggering. "So because Caius was about to stumble upon the biggest secret of the Sanctum, that Bhunivelze wasn't the creator of all the cosmos, merely the jealous dictator who stole it, we have burnt in the pit for eons?"

"While I have suffered at the  _Maker's_ side with the pretence of his greatness!" Barthandelus snapped, white fire burning brighter around him. The flames licked at his skin, flaking bits off his face as it burnt him. "You think you're the only one he punished for seeing the truth? You think you're the only one who has been burning since Caius took up arms against the White Throne?"

The others started to step back in the hall, reaching for their weapons. It wasn't difficult to tell where this was escalating to. Lightning grabbed Fang and yanked her back just in time to stay out of the way of the fire. The demon's wings twitched as she itched for battle, for revenge. Fang chanced a moment to bring the human in for a kiss, the action only seeming to goad Barthandelus into a larger rage.

"Survive this, Claire Farron. I plan on continuing that later."

Lightning smiled a determined smile and stepped forward with the demon at her side. "I'll bring the latte." She replied with a quirk of her eyebrow, before facing down the disfigured body of Barthandelus.

Suddenly the very air around them lurched, and everyone clutched at their chests, like their hearts had all collectively skipped a beat. "What the hell was that?" Lightning asked, watching as Barthandelus began to draw the fallen Seraph into him, looming larger over the defiant group before him. It looked as if he was encased in liquid obsidian, the souls of the Seraphim he had taken enriching his power and making him far more dangerous than they could have anticipated.

"The world begs for salvation. I shall deliver it!" Barthandelus roared, his voice crystalline and sinister. He leant forward and slashed at the group with his claws, sending them scattering across the street.

They all worked in tandem, each doing their part to attempt to mow down this monstrosity that defiled the pristine city. It wasn't long before the realization dawned that their attacks were ineffective. Rygdea was thrown clear with a black shard embedding deep into his wing, his cry of pain echoing off the surrounding buildings.

"Ryg!" Fang yelled, dodging out of the way of black tendrils rising to consume her. Some licked at her legs and spine, causing deep lacerations as she ran. She cursed with a grunt and shot forward, barrelling into Rydgea and ripping him free before the inky appendages consumed him. Agony tore from his throat as they fell, Fang feeling guilty for causing him more harm. "Sorry, old mate. Was either that or oblivion, and I know which one I'd rather. Miss your ugly mug too much otherwise."

Rygdea chuckled, spitting blood from his mouth as he fell to his knees. "I know, but you owe me a damn beer, Yun."

Lightning growled and dodged another attack of Barthandelus, her blood pumping so fast her ears were roaring from the sound. She spied the Cherubim that started her on this journey and yelled out to him.

"Why isn't he slowing down? We can't get a hit on him!"

"Use your Sight, Lightning!" Fang yelled out from behind her as the demon threw her lance at the Sanctum leader, the weapon not making its mark and bouncing uselessly off him. "I'm going to rip that thanatosian smile from your fucking face you son of a bitch!"

Lightning reached out with her mind as the raging Sanctum leader threw a dark obsidian shard at the angels. Rosch barely dodged it and joined her by her side, breathing heavily. Cid was over with Rygdea, bleeding heavily and favouring his left side. His right wore a huge gash where a shard had torn into him.

"Rosch... What am I looking at here?" She asked, nervousness creeping into her voice. He reached out himself and found tendrils of energy reaching through Barthandelus, emanating from around him and piercing down to the Heart of Etro deep in the Void. The Cherubim gasped, bringing himself back to awareness.

"By the Maker... He's drawing his power from the veil! We can't touch him like this... He'll be able to bypass everything and destroy the Heart in Cocytus without Caius even being free!"

"A plan B, Rosch?" Rygdea drawled as he swiped weakly at the Seraphic leader, hissing as he was cut along the chest with Barthandelus' massive claws. Cid pulled him back and out of the fight. With a busted wing and multiple injuries he was only going to get himself killed.

The pinkette cursed under her breath as she was pushed back by a flurry of fast moving claws and white fire blasts. She reached within herself and let out a long breath. "Odin, any ideas?" she muttered, searching out the presence that had helped her claw her way back to a vague semblance of humanity. Lightning had barely scratched the surface of what she held within her, and had yet to figure out if the shards of her soul that belonged to the old storm gods were sentient, or if it was just a construct based on memories.

_Tear it down._

Lightning blinked. "Tear it down?"

_Tear it down. It's the only way._

She glanced over at the angels struggling to keep Barthandelus back and grabbed Sazh. "You. You were able to remove the Veil for me. How did you do it?" she hissed, gesturing at Rygdea to keep Barthandelus busy. The Death God looked startled and looked around nervously.

"I tore it from the space around you for a moment. It's still there, but once the world has been exposed to you... The door doesn't shut once it's been opened."

"How much power would we need to rip it from Barthandelus?"

Sazh paled at the concept. "To remove the Veil from him? It would be catastrophic," he snapped, drawing the attention of the others. "From here it would ripple through the entire world. Who knows what chaos that would cause?"

The pinkette laughed and stared at him, utterly incredulous. "Are we left with any choice?"

"We either reveal the cosmos to the world, or the cosmos won't be around long enough for anyone to worry." Rygdea quipped, dropping to one knee with exhaustion. He smiled as Rosh came over and helped him up, leaning on the silver-haired seraph.

Sazh gave a loud sigh and pulled his hood back, glaring at Barthandelus. "Hope you're prepared for the consequences,  _barista girl._ " He drawled, shunting his hands forward and ripping apart the very air around them. It hurt Lightning's head, like the sudden pressure change on a plane as it descends. Barthandelus shrieked with rage and stepped up his attack, trying desperately to stop the death god from following through with the plan.

"Everyone! Keep him off Sazh!" Fang yelled, her face bloodied from a cut above her eyebrow. "We've only got one shot at this so let's make it count!"

Barthandelus upped his game, blasting white fire and obsidian shards wherever the others could find a second to stand still. Rygdea had to be dragged back by Cid and Rosch before he was wiped out by a massive blade that came smashing down. It split the road and demolished any building in its path. Lightning threw up a shield to protect Sazh, straining against the onslaught.

Sazh pulled at the Veil with all the energy he could muster and with a visible flash of light and an odd feeling of exposure, the Veil dropped. "Fang! Now!" Lightning yelled out, dropping to one knee as she fought to hold the shield against the flurry of tendrils trying to pierce it.

The demon turne to meet the determined heterochromic eyes and ran forward, her heart beating hard in her chest. They were so close, and there was no way she was going to lose Lightning now. Fang growled to herself, pulling Vanille out of the way of the way of Barthandelus' attacks. Fang threw a stream of fire from her fingertips and baulked when she heard the Sanctum head grunt with pain. "Wait a minute... That connected. Holy shit. The Veil is gone. Hey, 'Nille. Wanna go feed?"

The redhead's eyes widened and a feral grin split across her face. "Absolutely!" She cheered, grabbing her sister's hand and allowing Fang to spin her for momentum. Vanille flew through the air and let her blade whip snap at the throat of the monstrosity Barthandelus had become. He bellowed in agony, the weapon finally connecting to flesh.

"It hit him! Whatever Sazh did worked!" Rygdea exclaimed, gripping his sword in renewed determination. Everyone rushed Barthandelus, bringing him to his knees after a flurry of swordwork that he could no longer shield himself from. Fang bore her teeth at him and growled.

"Your reign is over!" She yelled and brought her weapon forward, piercing his chest with a brutal thrust. Barthandelus looked relieved, despite the savage curved blade of Fang's lance sticking from his chest.

"Release... At last... Release..." He rasped, before keeling over on the steps to the Great Hall. Vanille captured the light that floated from the monstrous body with a sudden inhale, devouring the soul. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she refused to let him return to the seas of chaos to be reborn. He would get his wish in oblivion. She shivered as his soul dissipated within her, fuelling her power and her hunger. For a moment there Fang was worried she was going to lose control, but with a firm gaze and a shake of Vanille's head, her fears were alleviated.

Sazh gripped Lightning on the wrist to steady himself, exhaustion making him weak. "It's done. Let me close the Veil before any more damage is caused." He didn't let go of her until he had closed the Veil, falling to the ground with a long, tired huff. "Gods, I think I'm about ready to sleep for a week." Lightning nodded in agreement. It was over. Caius was imprisoned, Barthandelus gone. The cosmos was safe, Lightning's sister was safe, and all the pinkette could think about was going home to bed.

Fang ran over to her and swept her up in strong arms. "Are you alright?" Fang asked, cupping her face and checking for injuries. The pinkette decided to respond by pulling at Fang's armour and dragging her lips against the demon's. There was a tiny sigh of relief from both of them as they held each other close, revelling in the silence after the Primarch's demise. "What a ride, huh Sunshine?" Fang breathed against Lightning, trying not to sully her with her blood. The demigod laughed and placed a hand against Fang's face, the dull green glow starting to knit the wounds together.

"Rosch, I want to be left alone for at least a month." Lightning drawled, the others laughing quietly, their exhaustion obvious. 

"So uh, Light?" Fang asked with a wry smile, pulling back to regard the human. "Think you'd mind if we came home with you?" Lightning could only smile at the question, placing a hand on Vanille's shoulder as she nervously bounced from foot to foot next to them.

"I'm sure I can find the space." Lightning suddenly straightened, the full weight of their choice suddenly settling in her mind.

"Etro, the Veil... We need to get home."

Fang pursed her lips and felt uneasy. The battle was done but nothing felt finished. "Rosch? We've gotta go check in on the uh... sum of our actions."

"Indeed," the Seraph replied, not breaking eye contact away from Rygdea's wounds as he worked to heal them. "Go. We will be fine. We will find you when we can."

Vanille grabbed her sister and Lightning and vanished in a flash of light.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a general FYI, the previous chapter (19) has been re-written a touch, as it's the first time I've posted something I wasn't completely happy with. The shortness of the final scene likely led some people to believe that there was a bigger, badder baddie out there. No. There isn't. They've saved the day and can now put their feet up and rela-AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

" _Drugs in the water? Chemicals in the air? A mass hallucination? The end of days? It has been six months since the world experienced a brief… What can only be described as a shift in global consciousness… And we are still no closer to finding answers. Yet more strange phenomena have been occurring and-"_

A shoe was thrown from across the room, hitting the television. Lightning groaned as she missed her mark, hoping that it would have hit the power button on the side. "Gods, can we turn that off please? I've had enough." She complained, her sister sparing her migraine from getting any worse and switching the TV off.

Half a year since Caius was imprisoned and Barthandelus was stopped, and while Lightning had hoped for some sort of end to her problems, in reality they had only just begun. Because they had to expose the Veil for a short time, it was long enough for the seas of chaos to leak into the world. As a result, there was an imbalance that wasn't set right when they put the Veil back. Demons were able to move as freely through the populous without checks and balances in place as much as the angels were. Many were content just to remain hidden, but every now and again there would be one that didn't want to play by the new rules, and cause a mess that Lightning and Fang felt responsible for.

They had both taken it upon themselves to sort out anything that had cropped up in the wake of the various disasters, a task that was seemingly endless, and draining. The strange mix of the fantastical and the mundane was beginning to grate on Lightning's nerves, as the thought of going back and serving coffees to pay the bills after everything she had gone through was nauseating. Yet the last of her savings was running out, and she didn't think her landlord would accept souls as currency, so Fang's previous "role" wasn't going to be of much help to their situation.

The woman on her mind appeared in a controlled swirl of black mist, Fang stepping out of it and hanging her jacket up on the coat rack. Lightning smiled at the demon's considerate nature as Fang sauntered over and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "How fares your many  _legions_ , Oerba Yun Fang of the Wastes?" The pinkette jeered, enjoying the scowl she received. Fang leapt over the back of the couch and settled in, pulling Lightning flush against her and wrapping her arms around her demigod lover.

"Eh. Restless at best, about to start the apocalypse at worse. Depends on how much Lumina is antagonising them." She paused, sighing as she pressed her lips against the top of Lightning's head. "A part of me had hoped that with Pulse on ice, things would calm. That maybe we wouldn't have to go through all this soul harvesting bullshit anymore. But maybe Lebreau was right. Maybe this is all many of us know now, a way of clawing back some semblance of power for ourselves when it was all so cruelly ripped away from us."

"Rosch was meant to be stopping by at some point, he had news for us in regards to the new council they've been setting up. It'd be nice if he brought a cheque or the ability to make my landlord forget that I need to pay rent." Lightning quipped, snuggling into Fang's chest with a happy murmur.

A flash of white light illuminated the living room as Rosch appeared, giving the two lounging women a raised eyebrow. "What?" Fang said with a shrug, pulling Lightning tighter against her in an act of defiance. "I've had a long day of arguing with the demonic council. I have  _earned_  a break with my woman."

The Cherubim cleared his throat with an air of awkwardness. "Yes well, be that as it may, your presence is required.  _Both_ of you. I can't bring a cheque, Claire Farron, but I can give you something that will hopefully suffice."

Lightning and Fang spared each other a look and sighed collectively. "Are we going to need armour for this?" The pinkette muttered, drawing a sigil in the air to retrieve her blade. Fang clicked her fingers and her sari rolled over her shoulder and folded itself around her, her casual jeans and hoodie vanishing.

"It… Would not hurt your case."

A blinding flash of light filled their vision and they found themselves standing in a shipping yard, with a handful of people that looked like they were dressed in what Lightning could only describe as mystical swat gear.

What appeared to be their leader was standing with Cid and Rygdea, having a deep conversation that ceased upon Rosch's entrance.

"Ah, good. You're here." Rygdea cheered with a broad smile, wandering over to clasp Fang by the wrist. "How you been, Yun? Lightning been lookin' after ya?" Fang scoffed and rolled her eyes, causing the pinkette to chuckle under her breath.

"I've been keeping well enough. What's all this about? Who's the gentleman and all the heavily armed looking crew with him?"

Cid and the short-haired man walked over to join them, the seraph giving a bow in greeting. "Lightning, it is good to see you again. I hope you have been keeping well given the circumstances. The human with me is Lieutenant Amodar, of the Guardian Corps."

"Pleasure to meet the infamous Lightning and Fang," the imposingly large man said with a wry grin, shaking their hands respectively. Fang put her hands on her hips and flared her wings behind her, immediately suspicious.

"What's the go here, Rosch? Since when do you cavort with humans?"

"Since everything that occurred necessitated the… Building of bridges. The Guardian Corps are an old organisation, rare humans that have the gift of seeing beyond the Veil. They help maintain the balance when things get…. Out of hand."

The large man chuckled, slapping Rosch on the back and sending the Cherubim staggering forward. "That's such a nice way of putting it! I like that, boys, put it in the brochure! What wings here means to say is that we clean up the mess you lot left behind when the Veil got torn down for a bit."

An involuntary growl escaped Lightning's throat and her right iris flashed a deep red. She stepped forward and Fang put a warning hand on her shoulder to steady her. "What would you have had us do? Just stand back and let the world be destroyed? What are you going to do now that you're standing in front of those responsible?"

Amodar shook his head, fishing a cigar from his pocket and lighting it up. He gave a cursory glance at the two of them as he exhaled the rich smoke, shrugging at the question.

"Honestly? I was going to give you both a job."

***End***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, like everything I write this is legitimately how I am ending this story. For now. Thanks for a wild ride and your support throughout these last 7mths of writing this, now it's onto the next one!


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